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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fine · spell · file · rock · pitch · toast · arm · land

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. land — ground
  7. spell — letters
  8. spell — a short time
  9. rock — music
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. pitch — completely
  12. file — a tool
  13. file — a document
  14. fine — all right
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. land — a country
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. spell — magic
  21. land — to come down
  22. fine — high quality
  23. toast — bread
  24. file — a line of people

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