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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. rock — a stone
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. file — a tool
  11. dip — to sink
  12. scale — size or range
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. scale — in music
  15. rock — music
  16. file — a document
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. file — a line of people

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