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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.

Make a worksheet

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: sharp · arm · object · chair · fine · wave · pitch · coach

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. chair — a leader
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. sharp — clever
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. object — to protest
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. fine — all right
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. fine — high quality
  23. pitch — completely
  24. object — a thing

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