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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. drill — a practice
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. staff — employees
  5. staff — employees
  6. drill — army training
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. staff — a stick
  10. pitch — completely
  11. toast — bread
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. chair — a leader
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. pit — a hole
  17. drill — the tool
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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