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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. pitch — completely
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. game — wild animals
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. bulb — for light
  7. snap — to click
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. last — finally
  11. rock — a stone
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. game — a match
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. branch — a division
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. last — to go on
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. last — final
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. rock — music

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