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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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468
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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. mate — to breed
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. mate — a partner
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. lie — to recline
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. pound — a weight
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. chair — a leader
  18. mate — a friend
  19. pitch — completely
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. pound — for dogs

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