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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. club — for dancing
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. last — finally
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. last — final
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. charge — in control
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. club — for golf
  12. charge — electricity
  13. club — a group
  14. last — to go on
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. chair — a leader
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. snap — to click
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. pitch — completely
  23. charge — a price
  24. stand — to bear

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