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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: ruler · chair · stock · plane · key · pitch · swing · perch

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. perch — the fish
  5. key — the most important part
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. plane — a tool
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. key — for a lock
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. key — in music
  18. swing — to play on
  19. chair — a leader
  20. pitch — completely
  21. stock — goods
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. stock — shares
  24. swing — music

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