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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. firm — a company
  3. pitch — completely
  4. firm — decided
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. land — to come down
  7. spring — of water
  8. cue — for pool
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. cue — a signal
  11. firm — steady
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. spring — a coil
  15. bore — to tire
  16. cue — a hint
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bore — to drill
  21. land — a country
  22. land — ground
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. pitch — a sports field

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