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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 · pop · hide · nail · dip · pitcher · pit · lean

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. pop — music
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pit — in a race
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. lean — to bend
  11. pop — to visit
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. lean — thin
  15. pop — soda
  16. dip — to sink
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bulb — for light
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. pitcher — a jug

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