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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. snap — to click
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. kick — in football
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. present — there
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. present — a gift
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. present — the time now
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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