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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. tear — from crying
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — to be able to
  5. dip — to sink
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. rock — a stone
  10. tear — to rip
  11. saw — the tool
  12. season — of the year
  13. season — in sport
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. tear — from crying
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. saw — the tool
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. rock — music
  22. pitch — completely
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. can — a tin

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