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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. dip — to sink
  4. kid — child
  5. kid — to tease
  6. cap — a lid
  7. bear — the animal
  8. mark — a trace
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pass — a permit
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. bear — the animal
  13. pitch — completely
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. foot — a measure
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. cap — of ice
  22. mark — a grade
  23. cap — a hat
  24. foot — the bottom

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