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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pitch — completely
  3. charge — electricity
  4. present — there
  5. charge — in control
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. present — the time now
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. bore — to drill
  15. present — a gift
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. charge — a price
  18. bore — to tire

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