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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: arm · game · pound · safe · content · stand · rush · pitch

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. stand — to bear
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. content — happy
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. content — the amount
  12. pound — a weight
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. game — wild animals
  20. game — a match
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. pitch — completely
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. rush — hurry

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