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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. staff — employees
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. chest — of your body
  6. board — a committee
  7. staff — employees
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pitch — completely
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. staff — a stick
  15. ball — a great time
  16. chest — a box
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. board — to get on
  20. pass — a permit
  21. chair — a leader
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. ball — a dance
  24. chest — of your body

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