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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. face — part of the head
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. pitch — completely
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. face — to point toward
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. face — to confront
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. mine — for digging
  18. bulb — for light
  19. mark — a trace
  20. bulb — for light
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. coach — a trainer

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