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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. pitch — completely
  3. net — after costs
  4. bound — tied together
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. net — in sport
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. chip — for betting
  10. craft — a skill
  11. bound — obliged
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bound — certain
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. craft — boats
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. net — for catching
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. chip — to eat
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ball — a great time
  22. ball — a dance
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. bay — a horse colour

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