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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. kick — in football
  3. scale — size or range
  4. fall — to drop
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. content — the amount
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. board — a committee
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. dip — to sink
  13. lean — to bend
  14. lean — thin
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. scale — in music
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. board — to get on
  21. fall — the season
  22. fall — to drop
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. content — happy

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