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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. track — a path
  4. net — after costs
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. ground — crushed
  8. pit — in a race
  9. ground — a position
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. track — to keep track
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. track — a song
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. ground — the earth
  17. net — in sport
  18. pitch — completely
  19. net — for catching
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. pit — a hole
  23. wake — a trail
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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