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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. scale — size or range
  8. land — a country
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. land — ground
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. land — to come down
  16. scale — in music
  17. mark — a grade
  18. staff — employees
  19. mark — a trace
  20. staff — a stick
  21. pitch — completely
  22. staff — employees
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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