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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. staff — a stick
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. mug — to rob
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. mug — a cup
  8. face — to confront
  9. mug — a face
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. staff — employees
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. face — to point toward
  15. staff — employees
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. stem — to come from
  18. pitch — completely
  19. face — part of the head
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. chair — a leader
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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