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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: march · spring · net · dip · pitch · bowl · fork · suit

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. march — music
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. suit — to fit
  7. march — the month
  8. fork — in a road
  9. net — after costs
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. spring — a coil
  14. pitch — completely
  15. march — the month
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. net — for catching
  20. net — in sport
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. spring — of water
  23. spring — the season
  24. suit — in cards

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