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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: roll · rest · chair · ball · club · pitch · land · lean

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  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. land — to come down
  2. rest — what's left
  3. club — a group
  4. land — a country
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lean — thin
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. rest — what's left
  9. club — for dancing
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. pitch — completely
  12. land — ground
  13. roll — a list
  14. club — for golf
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. ball — a great time
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. rest — a break
  19. ball — a dance
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. roll — a cake
  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