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

Word bank: fork · bank · pitch · arm · mouse · chest · scale · kick

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. scale — size or range
  4. chest — a box
  5. chest — of your body
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. kick — in football
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — for money
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. scale — in music
  16. fork — in a road
  17. bank — of a river
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. chest — of your body
  20. pitch — completely
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. kick — a thrill

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