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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. lean — thin
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. pitch — completely
  7. swing — in golf
  8. lean — to bend
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. snap — to click
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bound — obliged
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bound — certain
  18. club — for dancing
  19. swing — music
  20. swing — to play on
  21. club — for golf
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. club — a group
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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