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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. key — in music
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. key — the most important part
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. rule — a law
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rule — government
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. dip — to sink
  15. rock — music
  16. track — a path
  17. track — to keep track
  18. bass — the fish
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. chair — a leader
  21. bass — low music
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. key — for a lock
  24. track — a song

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