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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: roll · object · mark · drill · dip · swing · pitch · spell

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. swing — in golf
  3. swing — to play on
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. spell — letters
  6. object — a thing
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. roll — a list
  9. pitch — completely
  10. dip — to sink
  11. spell — magic
  12. drill — army training
  13. drill — the tool
  14. swing — music
  15. mark — a trace
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. roll — a cake
  18. drill — a practice
  19. object — to protest
  20. spell — a short time
  21. mark — a grade
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. object — an aim

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