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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pitch · lie · mark · calf · board · root · current · chair

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. mark — a trace
  6. lie — to recline
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. chair — a leader
  9. root — the cause
  10. root — of a word
  11. current — electric
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. mark — a grade
  15. board — a committee
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. pitch — completely
  20. root — of a plant
  21. current — happening now
  22. board — to get on
  23. current — of water
  24. lie — an untruth

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