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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. dip — to sink
  4. season — in sport
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. pitch — completely
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. mate — a friend
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a great time
  13. mate — to breed
  14. season — of the year
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stock — goods
  18. stock — shares
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. mate — a partner
  23. bark — to shout
  24. pitch — a sports field

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