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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. spell — magic
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. spell — a short time
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. pit — in a race
  13. rush — hurry
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. wake — a trail
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. spell — letters
  23. pit — a hole
  24. pitch — completely

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