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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 124 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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468
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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. foot — a measure
  6. last — to go on
  7. last — final
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. pit — a hole
  14. last — finally
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bass — the fish
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pit — in a race
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. bass — low music
  23. wake — a trail
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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