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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: pitch · rock · ball · game · suit · foot · arm · jam

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. game — wild animals
  5. game — a match
  6. rock — music
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. pitch — completely
  9. suit — to fit
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. rock — a stone
  12. ball — a dance
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. suit — in cards
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. foot — a measure
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. suit — clothes

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