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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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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: field · bank · pass · arm · dip · pit · nail · chest

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. dip — to sink
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. chest — a box
  7. bank — for money
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pit — a hole
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bank — of a river
  13. field — a subject
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. pit — in a race
  16. chest — of your body
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. field — farmland
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. field — for sport
  21. chest — of your body
  22. bank — for money
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. pass — a permit

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