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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 · saw · fan · track · pitch · stand · dip · march

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  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. fan — to cool the air
  2. saw — the tool
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. stand — to bear
  6. track — a song
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. march — music
  11. pitch — completely
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. track — to keep track
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. march — the month
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. track — a path
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. march — the month
  22. dip — to sink
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  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