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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. chair — a leader
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. firm — decided
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. stock — goods
  9. pitch — completely
  10. root — the cause
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. root — of a plant
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. firm — a company
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. root — of a word
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. stock — shares
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. firm — steady
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — ministers

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