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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: drill · hand · pass · arm · pitch · squash · can · dip

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. squash — the sport
  3. hand — help
  4. can — a tin
  5. drill — the tool
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pass — a permit
  8. dip — to sink
  9. can — a tin
  10. squash — to crush
  11. drill — a practice
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. drill — army training
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. hand — in cards
  21. can — to be able to
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. arm — part of the body

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