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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 120 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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. saw — the tool
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. saw — the tool
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. lie — to recline
  9. dip — to sink
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. ball — a dance
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. scale — size or range
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. ball — a great time
  21. scale — in music
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. pound — for dogs

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