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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. fall — to drop
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. fall — to drop
  8. drill — the tool
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fine — all right
  11. lean — thin
  12. drill — a practice
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. fall — the season
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. lean — to bend
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. drill — army training
  22. perch — the fish
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. perch — for a bird

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