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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
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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: spring · pit · mark · patient · lie · toast · pitch · dip

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. pitch — completely
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. pit — a hole
  8. spring — the season
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. pit — in a race
  13. spring — a coil
  14. mark — a trace
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. lie — to recline
  17. spring — of water
  18. toast — bread
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. dip — to sink
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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