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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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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: rest · nail · pitch · cold · deal · bay · suit · cabinet

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. rest — what's left
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. suit — clothes
  10. cold — an illness
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. suit — to fit
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. cold — not warm
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. rest — a break
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. suit — in cards

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