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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 116 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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. suit — clothes
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. season — in sport
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. suit — in cards
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. wound — an injury
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. fall — to drop
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fall — to drop
  18. scale — size or range
  19. wound — an injury
  20. fall — the season
  21. scale — in music
  22. pitch — completely
  23. suit — to fit
  24. bay — a horse colour

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