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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 116 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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. net — in sport
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bass — low music
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. lie — to recline
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. saw — the tool
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. object — to protest
  19. saw — the tool
  20. net — after costs
  21. object — a thing
  22. object — an aim
  23. pitch — completely
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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