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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. band — a ring
  4. rule — a law
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. cue — a hint
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. rule — government
  10. board — a committee
  11. cue — for pool
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. fork — in a road
  16. band — a music group
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. wake — a trail
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. cue — a signal
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. board — to get on

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