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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. That was a fun ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  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. bay — a part of the sea
  2. game — a match
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. staff — a stick
  5. bank — for money
  6. rest — what's left
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. rest — a break
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bank — of a river
  13. stand — to bear
  14. game — wild animals
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. pitch — completely
  19. staff — employees
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bank — for money
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. staff — employees
  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