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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. can — a tin
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. scale — in music
  8. rule — government
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. file — a document
  14. rule — a law
  15. file — a tool
  16. scale — size or range
  17. can — to be able to
  18. pitch — completely
  19. mark — a trace
  20. can — a tin
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. file — a line of people

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