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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: pitch · charge · sharp · fine · saw · bay · cap · wind

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. cap — a lid
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. charge — electricity
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. pitch — completely
  10. charge — in control
  11. saw — the tool
  12. cap — of ice
  13. sharp — clever
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. charge — a price
  17. fine — high quality
  18. wind — moving air
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. fine — all right
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. wind — moving air
  24. cap — a hat

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