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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
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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: mark · pitch · snap · spring · board · chair · track · drill

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. spring — of water
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. track — a path
  6. board — a committee
  7. chair — a leader
  8. track — a song
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. drill — army training
  13. snap — to click
  14. drill — a practice
  15. spring — the season
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pitch — completely
  20. drill — the tool
  21. board — to get on
  22. track — to keep track
  23. spring — a coil
  24. chair — to sit on

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