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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: pit · date · dip · kick · pitch · last · nail · season

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. last — final
  3. dip — to sink
  4. season — of the year
  5. last — finally
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. last — to go on
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. pit — in a race
  17. kick — in football
  18. date — the fruit
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pitch — completely
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. pit — a hole
  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