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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. fork — in a road
  4. bear — the animal
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. club — for golf
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. land — to come down
  10. club — a group
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. land — ground
  14. club — for dancing
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. snap — to click
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. land — a country
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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