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

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. stock — goods
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. spring — a coil
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitch — completely
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. game — wild animals
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. game — a match
  15. firm — steady
  16. firm — a company
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. spring — the season
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. stock — shares
  21. spring — of water
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. firm — decided

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