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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 116 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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. mark — a grade
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. kid — child
  8. mark — a trace
  9. kid — to tease
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bass — low music
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. bass — the fish
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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