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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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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 · leaves · fork · arm · court · safe · saw · club

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. fork — in a road
  5. saw — the tool
  6. court — for sport
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. club — for golf
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. saw — the tool
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. club — for dancing
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. club — a group
  20. court — of a king
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. court — of law
  24. arm — part of the body

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