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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. last — to go on
  6. present — there
  7. present — the time now
  8. present — a gift
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. firm — a company
  11. firm — steady
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. last — finally
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. firm — decided
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bulb — for light
  21. last — final
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. trunk — of a tree

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