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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. pitch — completely
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. stock — goods
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. scale — in music
  14. stock — shares
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a great time
  17. scale — size or range
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. ball — a dance
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. trunk — of a tree

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