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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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  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. capital — a city
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. capital — money
  6. rock — a stone
  7. fork — in a road
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. suit — in cards
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. board — a committee
  14. suit — clothes
  15. pitch — completely
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. suit — to fit
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. board — to get on
  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