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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. firm — a company
  4. row — to paddle
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. scale — in music
  10. board — a committee
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. row — a line
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. pitch — completely
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. wind — moving air
  19. firm — steady
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. board — to get on
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. firm — decided
  24. wind — moving air

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