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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: tube · hide · chair · pitch · track · date · bear · board

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. tube — a container
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. tube — the underground
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. board — a committee
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. track — a path
  11. bear — the animal
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. chair — a leader
  16. pitch — completely
  17. board — to get on
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. track — to keep track
  20. bear — the animal
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. track — a song
  24. hide — to keep secret

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