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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bay · kid · ground · pitch · ruler · toast

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ground — the earth
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. toast — bread
  9. kid — to tease
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. kid — child
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. ground — a position
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. ground — crushed
  18. ruler — for measuring

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