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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. prune — to trim
  4. pitch — completely
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. present — a gift
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. tube — a container
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. mug — to rob
  11. prune — to trim
  12. present — the time now
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. mug — a face
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. tube — the underground
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. present — there
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. sharp — clever
  24. mug — a cup

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