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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 120 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: pitch · suit · dip · stick · shower · net · root · coach

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. net — after costs
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. suit — in cards
  8. root — the cause
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. root — of a plant
  11. net — for catching
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. shower — rain
  14. root — of a word
  15. suit — clothes
  16. net — in sport
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. shower — to wash
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. suit — to fit

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