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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: pitch · mug · nail · chair · dip · root · clip · lean

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. clip — for paper
  4. root — the cause
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. lean — to bend
  7. root — of a plant
  8. root — of a word
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. lean — thin
  11. clip — to cut
  12. clip — a video
  13. mug — a cup
  14. chair — a leader
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. mug — to rob
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. pitch — completely
  23. mug — a face
  24. dip — to sink

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