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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 can't ________________ this cold.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. dip — to sink
  4. content — the amount
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. pitch — completely
  11. content — happy
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. scale — size or range
  15. pass — a permit
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. scale — in music
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. dip — to dunk

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