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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 120 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: suit · nail · dip · pitcher · snap · mouse · pass · ground

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. snap — to click
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — in cards
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. ground — crushed
  19. dip — to sink
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. suit — clothes
  23. ground — the earth
  24. dip — to dunk

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