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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 works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. scale — size or range
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stock — shares
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. bound — tied together
  14. stock — goods
  15. firm — steady
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. scale — in music
  19. bound — obliged
  20. firm — decided
  21. stand — to bear
  22. bound — certain
  23. pitch — completely
  24. arm — a part of something

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