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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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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: content · arm · file · root · saw · pitch · race · pit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. file — a line of people
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. content — happy
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. content — the amount
  8. pit — a hole
  9. root — the cause
  10. file — a tool
  11. saw — the tool
  12. root — of a word
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. race — the arms race
  15. race — a contest
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. file — a document
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. pitch — completely
  22. race — humankind
  23. saw — the tool
  24. root — of a plant

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