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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. rock — music
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. pitch — completely
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. rock — a stone
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. prune — to trim
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. row — a line
  19. row — to paddle
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. prune — to trim
  24. pitch — a sports field

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