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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: board · ball · deal · wake · pitch · spring · stand · arm

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. ball — a dance
  3. board — to get on
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. wake — a trail
  6. spring — the season
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stand — to bear
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. spring — of water
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a great time
  18. pitch — completely
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. deal — to handle
  22. board — a committee
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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