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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. mug — to rob
  4. season — of the year
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pitch — completely
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. season — in sport
  16. wind — moving air
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. mug — a face
  24. bulb — of a plant

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