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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.

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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: rock · stand · swing · dip · root · board · pitch · staff

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. staff — a stick
  3. board — to get on
  4. rock — a stone
  5. pitch — completely
  6. staff — employees
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. dip — to sink
  9. swing — to play on
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — to bear
  12. swing — in golf
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. root — of a word
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. root — of a plant
  19. rock — music
  20. board — a committee
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. root — the cause
  23. staff — employees
  24. swing — music

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