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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 120 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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. rest — what's left
  3. plane — a tool
  4. rest — a break
  5. can — a tin
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. chip — for betting
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. cell — in biology
  10. branch — a division
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. rest — what's left
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. chip — to eat
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. cell — a phone
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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