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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. rest — what's left
  3. season — of the year
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. season — in sport
  7. rest — a break
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. saw — the tool
  10. race — humankind
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. rest — what's left
  14. present — a gift
  15. race — a contest
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. present — the time now
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. kick — in football
  21. saw — the tool
  22. race — the arms race
  23. present — there
  24. season — to add flavour

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