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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. dip — to sink
  3. clip — for paper
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. clip — a video
  6. pitch — completely
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. game — wild animals
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. band — a music group
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. clip — to cut
  23. band — a ring
  24. bay — a horse colour

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