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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
468
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: spell · pitch · nail · mark · degree · lie · snap · dip

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. degree — from a university
  9. snap — to click
  10. spell — a short time
  11. mark — a trace
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. dip — to sink
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. pitch — completely
  16. degree — temperature
  17. mark — a grade
  18. spell — letters
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. degree — an amount
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. spell — magic
  24. lie — to recline

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