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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: plane · dip · pitch · snap · swing · cabinet · lash · staff

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. swing — to play on
  4. swing — music
  5. snap — to click
  6. dip — to sink
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pitch — completely
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. swing — in golf
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. staff — employees
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. staff — a stick
  22. staff — employees
  23. plane — a tool
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com