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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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. can — a tin
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. spring — the season
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. staff — employees
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. lie — to recline
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. cell — in biology
  15. pitch — completely
  16. staff — a stick
  17. spring — of water
  18. cell — a phone
  19. can — a tin
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. can — to be able to
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. staff — employees
  24. spring — a coil

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