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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 120 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: board · march · pitch · pound · can · cap · degree · dip

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. cap — of ice
  3. board — a committee
  4. can — to be able to
  5. board — to get on
  6. march — music
  7. degree — from a university
  8. pound — a weight
  9. degree — temperature
  10. pitch — completely
  11. can — a tin
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. cap — a hat
  14. dip — to sink
  15. march — the month
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. cap — a lid
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. degree — an amount
  21. march — the month
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. can — a tin
  24. pound — to hit hard

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