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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: capital · pitch · dip · bay · deal · craft

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. craft — a skill
  4. pitch — completely
  5. dip — to sink
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. deal — to handle
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. craft — boats
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. capital — a city
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. craft — a handicraft

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