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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. season — of the year
  3. pitch — completely
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. swing — in golf
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. swing — to play on
  11. wind — moving air
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. swing — music
  17. season — in sport
  18. wind — moving air
  19. object — to protest
  20. chair — a leader
  21. object — an aim
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. object — a thing

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