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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 120 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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. chip — to eat
  4. pop — soda
  5. pitch — completely
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. wind — moving air
  12. bass — low music
  13. chip — for betting
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bore — to tire
  17. wind — moving air
  18. pop — music
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. pop — to visit
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. pitch — a sports field

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