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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: field · spell · can · pitch · pitcher · bark · dip · rush

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. can — a tin
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. spell — letters
  8. bark — to shout
  9. dip — to sink
  10. pitch — completely
  11. spell — a short time
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. field — a subject
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — to be able to
  20. rush — hurry
  21. field — farmland
  22. spell — magic
  23. field — for sport
  24. bark — a dog's sound

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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