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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 120 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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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: fall · file · racket · pitch · craft · cabinet · arm · track

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. fall — to drop
  5. pitch — completely
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. file — a tool
  14. file — a line of people
  15. craft — a skill
  16. track — a song
  17. track — to keep track
  18. fall — the season
  19. track — a path
  20. fall — to drop
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. file — a document
  24. craft — boats

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