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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
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: scale · field · object · craft · bat · arm · pitch · present

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. pitch — completely
  4. object — to protest
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. present — the time now
  7. bat — the animal
  8. field — for sport
  9. present — there
  10. scale — in music
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. object — an aim
  16. craft — boats
  17. present — a gift
  18. object — a thing
  19. field — farmland
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. scale — size or range
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. field — a subject
  24. craft — a skill

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