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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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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: bore · dip · spell · pitch · swing · suit

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. suit — clothes
  6. pitch — completely
  7. spell — magic
  8. spell — letters
  9. spell — a short time
  10. dip — to sink
  11. swing — in golf
  12. swing — music
  13. bore — to drill
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. bore — to tire
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — in cards
  18. dip — a sauce

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