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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: pitcher · rock · mark · pitch · bear · nail · dip · season

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. rock — music
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. season — of the year
  11. rock — a stone
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. dip — to sink
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. season — in sport
  16. pitch — completely
  17. mark — a trace
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. mark — a grade
  24. nail — for a hammer

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