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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 120 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 got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. root — of a plant
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cue — a signal
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. mark — a trace
  12. bass — low music
  13. pitch — completely
  14. root — the cause
  15. game — a match
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. cue — a hint
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. bass — the fish
  23. root — of a word
  24. game — wild animals

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