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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 120 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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. scale — in music
  4. firm — decided
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. club — for golf
  7. firm — a company
  8. fine — high quality
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. fine — all right
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. sharp — clever
  16. firm — steady
  17. club — for dancing
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. pitch — completely
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. scale — size or range
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. pit — a hole

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