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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. net — in sport
  5. net — for catching
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. last — to go on
  8. staff — employees
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. staff — a stick
  12. last — finally
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. pitch — completely
  17. net — after costs
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. staff — employees
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. lash — an eyelash

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