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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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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: mug · straw · content · bulb · fine · wind · pitch · bay

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. pitch — completely
  3. wind — moving air
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. content — the amount
  6. fine — all right
  7. bulb — for light
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. mug — to rob
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. mug — a cup
  16. fine — high quality
  17. mug — a face
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. wind — moving air
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. content — happy
  24. pitch — a sports field

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