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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. pitch — completely
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. sharp — clever
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. charge — in control
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. charge — a price
  12. net — after costs
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bulb — for light
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — what's left
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. rest — a break
  20. net — for catching
  21. charge — electricity
  22. rule — government
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. rule — a law

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