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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.

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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: pitch · face · stick · chip · wax · nail · net · dip

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. face — part of the head
  3. net — for catching
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. face — to confront
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. net — after costs
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. chip — for betting
  13. face — to point toward
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. pitch — completely
  19. net — in sport
  20. dip — to sink
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. wax — to grow
  24. dip — a sauce

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