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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 116 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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. ground — crushed
  5. pitch — completely
  6. cap — a hat
  7. staff — employees
  8. bat — the animal
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. fine — all right
  12. ground — a position
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. cap — of ice
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. cap — a lid
  20. deal — to handle
  21. fine — high quality
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. ground — the earth
  24. staff — a stick

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