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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: present · hide · pitch · pitcher · staff · rush · clip · board

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. clip — to cut
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. clip — a video
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. board — a committee
  8. present — there
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitch — completely
  11. staff — employees
  12. clip — for paper
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. present — a gift
  15. present — the time now
  16. board — to get on
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. staff — a stick
  19. rush — hurry
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. staff — employees
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. hide — to keep secret

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