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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: foot · roll · dip · fork · charge · pitch · spring · tube

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. dip — to sink
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. roll — a cake
  5. spring — a coil
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. spring — the season
  9. roll — a list
  10. tube — a container
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. tube — the underground
  18. spring — of water
  19. charge — electricity
  20. foot — a measure
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. charge — a price
  23. fork — in a road
  24. charge — in control

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