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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · cap · press · march · pitch · dip · bass · charge

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. cap — a hat
  4. dip — to sink
  5. charge — in control
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. march — the month
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. pitch — completely
  11. press — newspapers
  12. bass — the fish
  13. press — to push
  14. cap — a lid
  15. bass — low music
  16. march — the month
  17. press — a publisher
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. cap — of ice
  21. march — music
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. charge — a price
  24. pitch — a sports field

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