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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: bulb · pitch · spell · mark · pitcher · pop · pass · nail

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. spell — a short time
  4. pitch — completely
  5. mark — a trace
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. spell — magic
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. pop — to visit
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. mark — a grade
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pop — music
  19. pop — soda
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. spell — letters
  24. bulb — for light

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