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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
468
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: pitch · stand · jam · band · arm · roll · plane · mouse

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. pitch — completely
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. roll — a list
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. stand — to bear
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. band — a music group
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. roll — a cake
  23. plane — a tool
  24. jam — a tight spot

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