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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. rock — a stone
  4. craft — a skill
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. dip — to sink
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. suit — to fit
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. rock — music
  16. suit — in cards
  17. sharp — clever
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. craft — boats
  22. suit — clothes
  23. pitch — completely
  24. leaves — to go away

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