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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. cold — not warm
  4. fork — in a road
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. prune — to trim
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. deal — to handle
  12. pitch — completely
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. pass — a permit
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. cold — an illness
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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