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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. mark — a grade
  3. rest — a break
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. rest — what's left
  6. track — a path
  7. key — for a lock
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. pitch — completely
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. track — a song
  12. stem — to come from
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. toast — bread
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. track — to keep track
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. rest — what's left
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. key — the most important part
  22. mark — a trace
  23. chair — a leader
  24. key — in music

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