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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stick · rash · dip · rush · pitch · roll · fork · coach

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. pitch — completely
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. rush — hurry
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. roll — a cake
  7. roll — a list
  8. rash — a series
  9. dip — to sink
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. rash — hasty
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. fork — in a road
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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