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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. object — an aim
  5. rule — a law
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pitch — completely
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. hand — help
  13. hand — in cards
  14. object — to protest
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. object — a thing
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. rule — government
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. cell — in biology
  22. perch — the fish
  23. cell — a phone
  24. rock — music

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