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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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. mouse — the animal
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. mate — a friend
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. mate — a partner
  11. plane — a tool
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. mate — to breed
  17. pitch — completely
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. court — for sport
  20. court — of a king
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. court — of law
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. leaves — lets stay

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