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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. chair — a leader
  10. pitch — completely
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. stock — goods
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stock — shares
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. band — a music group
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. chair — a professorship

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