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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. pound — a weight
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. fine — high quality
  6. board — to get on
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. fine — all right
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. board — a committee
  15. swing — to play on
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. swing — music
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. swing — in golf
  24. pitch — completely

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