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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 124 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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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. mark — to pay attention
  3. pound — a weight
  4. mug — a cup
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. tear — to rip
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. tear — from crying
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. mug — a face
  13. club — for golf
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. mark — a grade
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. club — for dancing
  19. tear — from crying
  20. mark — a trace
  21. pitch — completely
  22. club — a group
  23. mug — to rob
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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