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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. stock — shares
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. stand — to bear
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. rest — what's left
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. charge — electricity
  12. charge — a price
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. stock — goods
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. rest — a break
  20. charge — in control
  21. rest — what's left
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. pitch — a sports field

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