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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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. fork — in a road
  3. rash — a series
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. firm — a company
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. chip — to eat
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. pitch — completely
  15. firm — decided
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. rash — hasty
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. firm — steady
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. chip — for betting

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