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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 120 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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — a stick
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. chair — a leader
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. cap — of ice
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. cap — a lid
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. cap — a hat
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. staff — employees
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. pitch — completely
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. fan — a supporter

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