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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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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: pitch · pass · cap · dip · ball · mouse · ruler · kid

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. cap — a lid
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pitch — completely
  7. kid — child
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. dip — to sink
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. kid — to tease
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. cap — of ice
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. pass — a permit
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. cap — a hat

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