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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. march — music
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. mug — to rob
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. march — the month
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. mug — a cup
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rush — hurry
  14. mug — a face
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. pitch — completely
  18. rock — music
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. march — the month
  24. mine — for digging

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