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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 120 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: rule · firm · pitch · season · nail · mouse · mate · bay

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. rule — a law
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. firm — a company
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. mate — a friend
  14. firm — decided
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. firm — steady
  17. season — of the year
  18. rule — government
  19. mate — a partner
  20. season — in sport
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. pitch — completely
  23. mate — to breed
  24. mouse — for a computer

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