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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: hide · spell · pitch · suit · leaves · board · chair · chest

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. chest — a box
  3. board — to get on
  4. chair — a leader
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. pitch — completely
  7. chest — of your body
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. chest — of your body
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. suit — clothes
  13. spell — letters
  14. suit — in cards
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. board — a committee
  18. suit — to fit
  19. spell — magic
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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