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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 116 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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. lean — thin
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. race — the arms race
  5. track — a song
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. race — a contest
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. hand — help
  10. hand — in cards
  11. cap — of ice
  12. staff — a stick
  13. staff — employees
  14. cap — a lid
  15. lean — to bend
  16. staff — employees
  17. cap — a hat
  18. race — humankind
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. track — to keep track
  23. track — a path
  24. hand — part of the body

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