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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: pitcher · dip · pass · nail · coach · snap · fine · cap

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. fine — all right
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. fine — high quality
  6. cap — a hat
  7. snap — to click
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pass — a permit
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. dip — to sink
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. cap — of ice
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. cap — a lid

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