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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: staff · rest · arm · firm · roll · ground · mug · pitch

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. ground — crushed
  4. mug — a cup
  5. rest — what's left
  6. firm — steady
  7. roll — a list
  8. staff — employees
  9. ground — the earth
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. rest — a break
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. pitch — completely
  14. mug — to rob
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. staff — employees
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. firm — a company
  19. staff — a stick
  20. mug — a face
  21. roll — a cake
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. ground — a position
  24. rest — what's left

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