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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. pound — a weight
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bat — the animal
  14. file — a line of people
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. file — a document
  19. file — a tool
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. sharp — clever
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. racket — for tennis

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