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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: saw · pass · pitcher · calf · fan · firm · pit · dip

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. firm — decided
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. saw — the tool
  13. pass — a permit
  14. saw — the tool
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. firm — steady
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. dip — to sink
  20. firm — a company
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. pit — in a race
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. fan — to cool the air

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