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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: arm · mouse · pitch · bowl · toast · pitcher · saw · lash

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. toast — bread
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. saw — the tool
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitch — completely
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. saw — the tool
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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