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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. rash — a series
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pound — a weight
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. wind — moving air
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. wind — moving air
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. rash — hasty

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