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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. staff — a stick
  3. bound — obliged
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. club — for dancing
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. saw — the tool
  9. firm — steady
  10. firm — decided
  11. pitch — completely
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. staff — employees
  15. bound — tied together
  16. club — for golf
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. stem — to come from
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. bound — certain
  21. club — a group
  22. firm — a company
  23. saw — the tool
  24. chair — a leader

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