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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. charge — electricity
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. degree — temperature
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. degree — from a university
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. charge — in control
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. fork — in a road
  14. dip — to sink
  15. degree — an amount
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. charge — a price
  19. ball — a dance
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. ball — a great time
  22. saw — the tool
  23. saw — the tool
  24. pitch — completely

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