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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. club — a group
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. hand — in cards
  7. club — for golf
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. present — there
  13. club — for dancing
  14. pitch — completely
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. present — a gift
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. hand — help
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. present — the time now
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. hand — part of the body

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