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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 120 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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. row — to paddle
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. face — to confront
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. face — part of the head
  9. row — a line
  10. pit — a hole
  11. lean — thin
  12. lean — to bend
  13. bear — the animal
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. face — to point toward
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pit — in a race
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. pitch — completely
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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