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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. bark — to shout
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. prune — to trim
  7. tube — a container
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. prune — to trim
  12. craft — a skill
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — boats
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. mine — for digging
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. tube — the underground
  20. wound — an injury
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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