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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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Word bank
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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: dip · bay · scale · tear · craft · pitch

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. pitch — completely
  4. craft — boats
  5. tear — from crying
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. tear — from crying
  9. scale — in music
  10. dip — to sink
  11. tear — to rip
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. craft — a skill
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. scale — size or range

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