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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
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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: cap · charge · band · dip · can · bay · field · pitch

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. band — a ring
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. charge — electricity
  6. can — a tin
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. cap — of ice
  11. charge — a price
  12. cap — a lid
  13. can — a tin
  14. charge — in control
  15. field — for sport
  16. pitch — completely
  17. field — farmland
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. can — to be able to
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. band — a music group
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. cap — a hat
  24. field — a subject

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