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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. deal — to handle
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. pitch — completely
  5. cap — a lid
  6. stock — shares
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. cap — a hat
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. cap — of ice
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. stock — goods
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. wind — moving air
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. wind — moving air
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. dip — a sauce

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