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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 124 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: pit · lash · pitch · lie · stick · band · club · plane

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. plane — a tool
  5. pit — a hole
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. band — a music group
  10. club — a group
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. lie — to recline
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. club — for dancing
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pitch — completely
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pit — in a race
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. club — for golf
  24. lash — an eyelash

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