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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. squash — to crush
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. snap — to click
  10. pitch — completely
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. squash — the sport
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. pass — a permit
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. band — a music group
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. band — a ring
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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