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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. pound — a weight
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. hand — in cards
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. hand — help
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. rock — music
  14. board — a committee
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. rock — a stone
  18. board — to get on
  19. pitch — completely
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. pound — to hit hard

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