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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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. pitch — a sports field
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. cue — a signal
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. prune — to trim
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. bass — low music
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. bass — the fish
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cue — a hint
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. prune — to trim
  24. pitch — completely

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