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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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. pass — to spend time
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. fall — the season
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. fall — to drop
  11. pass — a permit
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. fall — to drop
  14. pitch — completely
  15. foot — a measure
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. saw — the tool
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. capital — money
  20. capital — a city
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. capital — a big letter

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