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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 120 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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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 · stand · foot · chair · pit · board · squash · drill

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. board — to get on
  3. drill — a practice
  4. chair — a leader
  5. present — a gift
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. drill — the tool
  8. squash — to crush
  9. squash — the sport
  10. pit — in a race
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. pit — a hole
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. foot — a measure
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. present — there
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. board — a committee
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stand — to bear
  22. present — the time now
  23. drill — army training
  24. board — a flat piece

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