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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: bay · sharp · bulb · foot · pit · pitch · wound · cap

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. wound — an injury
  4. cap — of ice
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. sharp — clever
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. bulb — for light
  9. cap — a hat
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. pit — in a race
  15. foot — a measure
  16. cap — a lid
  17. pitch — completely
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. sharp — with an edge

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