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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. staff — a stick
  3. staff — employees
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. court — of a king
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. tear — to rip
  9. pitch — completely
  10. court — for sport
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. stem — to come from
  14. foot — a measure
  15. tear — from crying
  16. ball — a great time
  17. tear — from crying
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. court — of law
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. staff — employees
  24. foot — 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