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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. fork — in a road
  4. date — the fruit
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. lie — to recline
  7. swing — to play on
  8. swing — music
  9. pitch — completely
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. craft — a skill
  14. craft — boats
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — the tool
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. swing — in golf
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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