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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: bear · mug · mine · arm · cell · plane · toast · pitch

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. toast — bread
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. mine — for digging
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. mug — a cup
  11. mug — a face
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. bear — the animal
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. plane — a tool
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. mug — to rob
  21. cell — in biology
  22. cell — a phone
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. plane — in geometry

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