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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. charge — electricity
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. track — a path
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. firm — steady
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. firm — decided
  9. bass — low music
  10. charge — a price
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a song
  16. bark — to shout
  17. charge — in control
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. dip — to sink
  22. bass — the fish
  23. firm — a company
  24. bark — of a tree

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