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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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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. pitch — completely
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. shower — to wash
  8. prune — to trim
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. current — electric
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. toast — bread
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. prune — to trim
  16. shower — rain
  17. current — of water
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. current — happening now
  20. face — to point toward
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. face — part of the head
  23. face — to confront
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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