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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. staff — employees
  3. pitch — completely
  4. tube — the underground
  5. charge — electricity
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. ball — a great time
  10. stock — shares
  11. charge — in control
  12. ball — a dance
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. cue — for pool
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. staff — employees
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. tube — a container
  20. chair — a leader
  21. charge — a price
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cue — a signal
  24. stock — goods

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