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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 116 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 · pitch · craft · present · lie · sharp · bound · tube

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. tube — the underground
  4. tube — a container
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. present — the time now
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. craft — boats
  10. present — a gift
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. pitch — completely
  15. lie — to recline
  16. present — there
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. craft — a skill
  22. sharp — clever
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bound — certain

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