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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. can — to be able to
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. object — a thing
  7. board — a committee
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. object — to protest
  11. pass — a permit
  12. can — a tin
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. can — a tin
  16. object — an aim
  17. court — for sport
  18. court — of a king
  19. board — to get on
  20. chair — a leader
  21. pitch — completely
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. court — of law
  24. chair — a professorship

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