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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. file — a line of people
  5. file — a document
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. pitch — completely
  9. present — a gift
  10. pop — to visit
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. mug — to rob
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. sharp — clever
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. pop — soda
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. pop — music
  19. present — there
  20. file — a tool
  21. mug — a cup
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. present — the time now
  24. mug — a face

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