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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. swing — to play on
  3. swing — in golf
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. swing — music
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. pit — in a race
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. lean — to bend
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. scale — in music
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. bat — the animal
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. fork — in a road
  21. lean — thin
  22. scale — size or range
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. scale — for weighing

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