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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. roll — a cake
  6. chip — for betting
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. board — a committee
  10. cue — a signal
  11. cue — for pool
  12. chip — to eat
  13. board — to get on
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pitch — completely
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. cue — a hint
  18. last — finally
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. last — to go on
  22. roll — a list
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. last — final

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