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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: cold · hide · bay · rock · press · deal · craft · pitch

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. craft — boats
  7. craft — a skill
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. press — a publisher
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. cold — an illness
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. press — to push
  16. cold — not warm
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. rock — a stone
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. press — newspapers

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