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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  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. fine — high quality
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. bound — certain
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. rock — music
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pitch — completely
  10. sharp — clever
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. rock — a stone
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. fine — all right
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. bound — obliged
  20. wax — to grow
  21. bound — tied together
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. sharp — with an edge
  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