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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. chair — a leader
  4. mate — to breed
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. foot — a measure
  7. craft — boats
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pitch — completely
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. mate — a friend
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. sharp — clever
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. mate — a partner
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. craft — a skill
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. arm — part of the body

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