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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: swing · foot · staff · plane · chest · pitch · pit · ball

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. swing — to play on
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. staff — employees
  5. chest — a box
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. plane — a tool
  9. chest — of your body
  10. pit — a hole
  11. staff — employees
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. pitch — completely
  14. swing — music
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. ball — a dance
  18. foot — a measure
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ball — a great time
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. staff — a stick
  23. pit — in a race
  24. swing — in golf

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