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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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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: cap · pass · dip · pound · pitch · racket · hand · toast

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. cap — of ice
  3. pound — a weight
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. hand — in cards
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. hand — help
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. cap — a hat
  15. pitch — completely
  16. pass — a permit
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. toast — bread
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. cap — a lid
  22. dip — to sink
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. toast — the most admired

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