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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. ball — a great time
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. net — for catching
  10. pitch — completely
  11. net — in sport
  12. sharp — clever
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. net — after costs
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. ball — a dance
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. ball — a round shape

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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