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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 116 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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. track — a path
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. dip — to sink
  9. track — a song
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. board — to get on
  13. chair — a leader
  14. board — a committee
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. snap — to click
  22. stand — to bear
  23. track — to keep track
  24. stand — on your feet

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