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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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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: stock · arm · deal · pitch · present · plane · cap · file

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. file — a tool
  5. pitch — completely
  6. stock — shares
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. file — a line of people
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. deal — to handle
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. cap — of ice
  13. present — there
  14. stock — goods
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. file — a document
  18. present — a gift
  19. cap — a lid
  20. present — the time now
  21. cap — a hat
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. deal — a big deal

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