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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: saw · deal · key · foot · bound · land · chair · pitch

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. saw — the tool
  3. key — for a lock
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bound — obliged
  6. deal — to handle
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. land — to come down
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. key — the most important part
  14. key — in music
  15. bound — tied together
  16. land — ground
  17. land — a country
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pitch — completely
  20. bound — certain
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. foot — a measure
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. chair — a leader

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