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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: pitcher · tube · spell · spring · dip · can · snap · season

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. spell — a short time
  3. can — a tin
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. snap — to click
  7. spring — a coil
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. spring — the season
  11. spell — magic
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. tube — a container
  14. spring — of water
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. can — a tin
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. tube — the underground
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. season — of the year
  21. season — in sport
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. can — to be able to
  24. spell — letters

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