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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.

Make a worksheet

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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. ground — the earth
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. field — a subject
  6. field — for sport
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. field — farmland
  10. pitch — completely
  11. fall — the season
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. fall — to drop
  15. ground — crushed
  16. ground — a position
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. arm — a part of something

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