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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — to bear
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. fall — to drop
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. hand — in cards
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. ball — a dance
  12. pound — a weight
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. pitch — completely
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. can — a tin
  18. hand — help
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. can — a tin
  21. ball — a great time
  22. can — to be able to
  23. fall — the season
  24. pound — to hit hard

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