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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 124 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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. row — to paddle
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. cap — a hat
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. dip — to sink
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. foot — a measure
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mate — a partner
  13. pitch — completely
  14. mark — a trace
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. mate — to breed
  17. row — a line
  18. cap — a lid
  19. cap — of ice
  20. mate — a friend
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. mark — to pay attention

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