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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: cap · pitch · nail · snap · scale · fork · fine · dip

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. dip — to sink
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. cap — of ice
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. snap — to click
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. cap — a hat
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. cap — a lid
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fork — in a road
  16. fine — all right
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. pitch — completely
  20. scale — in music
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. nail — for a hammer

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