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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. fine — high quality
  3. rash — a series
  4. mug — a face
  5. pitch — completely
  6. game — wild animals
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. object — an aim
  9. mug — a cup
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. cell — a phone
  12. game — a match
  13. fine — all right
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. object — to protest
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. mug — to rob
  23. object — a thing
  24. rash — hasty

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