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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 124 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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. dip — to sink
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. sharp — clever
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. fall — to drop
  11. can — a tin
  12. deal — to handle
  13. fall — the season
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. scale — size or range
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. can — to be able to
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. fall — to drop
  20. can — a tin
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. scale — in music
  24. sharp — with an edge

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