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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. pound — a weight
  4. bear — the animal
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. mug — a cup
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bear — the animal
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. mug — a face
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. sharp — clever

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