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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's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. board — a committee
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. pitch — completely
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. sharp — clever
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. board — to get on
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. cell — in biology
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. bore — to drill
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. cell — a phone
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. bore — to tire
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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