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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 120 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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. court — for sport
  4. pitch — completely
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. scale — size or range
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. lie — to recline
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. pass — a permit
  11. rock — a stone
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rock — music
  18. court — of a king
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. court — of law
  21. scale — in music
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pass — to succeed

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