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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: cap · nail · club · staff · pitch · dip · lean · fine

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. staff — a stick
  3. cap — a hat
  4. club — for dancing
  5. club — for golf
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. lean — thin
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — employees
  11. fine — high quality
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. lean — to bend
  14. club — a group
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. cap — of ice
  18. dip — to sink
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. cap — a lid
  24. fine — all right

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