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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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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: suit · rock · pitch · scale · chair · race · calf · arm

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  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. rock — to move gently
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. scale — size or range
  5. scale — in music
  6. pitch — completely
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. chair — a leader
  10. race — a contest
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. rock — a stone
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. race — humankind
  15. suit — in cards
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. suit — to fit
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. suit — clothes
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. race — the arms race
  23. rock — music
  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