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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: nail · object · chip · pitch · cabinet · dip · mug · pop

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mug — a face
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. object — an aim
  8. pop — soda
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. chip — for betting
  13. pop — music
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. object — a thing
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. pitch — completely
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. chip — to eat
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. object — to protest
  24. pop — to visit

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