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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: toast · pound · sharp · pitch · club · chair · rash · mark

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. rash — a series
  3. club — for dancing
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. club — a group
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. rash — hasty
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. pitch — completely
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. club — for golf
  17. mark — a grade
  18. chair — a leader
  19. toast — bread
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. sharp — clever
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. pound — a weight

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