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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 116 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: rush · pitch · last · snap · mark · stick · board · staff

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. last — final
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. mark — a trace
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. staff — employees
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. last — finally
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. board — a committee
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. staff — employees
  16. last — to go on
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. mark — a grade
  21. pitch — completely
  22. snap — to click
  23. board — to get on
  24. rush — hurry

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