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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  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. fork — in a road
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. season — in sport
  4. season — of the year
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. dip — to sink
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. mug — to rob
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. pop — to visit
  11. march — the month
  12. mug — a face
  13. march — music
  14. pop — soda
  15. pitch — completely
  16. pop — music
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. march — the month
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. mug — a cup
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  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