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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. present — the time now
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bore — to drill
  7. roll — a list
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. bulb — for light
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. pitch — completely
  14. present — there
  15. bulb — for light
  16. kick — in football
  17. roll — a cake
  18. present — a gift
  19. lean — to bend
  20. lean — thin
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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