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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. object — an aim
  3. stand — to bear
  4. object — a thing
  5. charge — a price
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stem — to come from
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bass — low music
  10. object — to protest
  11. dip — to sink
  12. march — the month
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. bass — the fish
  16. pitch — completely
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. march — the month
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. charge — in control
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. charge — electricity
  24. march — music

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