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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 120 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: pitch · chair · bulb · nail · dip · lean · can · swing

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. can — a tin
  3. pitch — completely
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. swing — in golf
  8. bulb — for light
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. lean — to bend
  11. chair — a leader
  12. swing — to play on
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. swing — music
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. can — a tin
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. dip — to sink
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. can — to be able to
  23. lean — thin
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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