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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. cap — a lid
  3. staff — employees
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — for light
  6. ball — a dance
  7. roll — a list
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. staff — employees
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. cap — of ice
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. cap — a hat
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. ball — a great time
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. staff — a stick
  24. roll — a cake

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