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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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Word bank
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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: pitch · lash · pop · rock · fall · racket · bank · plane

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. bank — for money
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. fall — the season
  5. bank — of a river
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. plane — a tool
  8. rock — a stone
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. fall — to drop
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pop — soda
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. fall — to drop
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. pop — music
  20. pop — to visit
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. rock — music
  24. bank — for money

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