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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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. coach — a trainer
  3. file — a tool
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. board — to get on
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. file — a line of people
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. board — a committee
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bat — the animal
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pitch — completely
  22. file — a document
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. coach — a trainer

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