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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: file · dip · roll · pitch · bulb · sharp · club · spell

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. spell — letters
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pitch — completely
  8. bulb — for light
  9. file — a document
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. club — for dancing
  12. roll — a list
  13. dip — to sink
  14. club — for golf
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. spell — magic
  17. roll — a cake
  18. sharp — clever
  19. spell — a short time
  20. bulb — for light
  21. file — a tool
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. club — a group

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