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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: arm · season · leaves · game · pitch · pit · charge · fork

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. season — in sport
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. charge — a price
  6. pit — in a race
  7. game — a match
  8. fork — in a road
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. season — of the year
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. game — wild animals
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. charge — in control
  19. pitch — completely
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. charge — electricity
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. pit — a hole
  24. fork — a garden tool

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