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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. staff — employees
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. staff — a stick
  10. key — for a lock
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. toast — bread
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. key — the most important part
  17. pitch — completely
  18. land — to come down
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. key — in music
  22. staff — employees
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. land — a country

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