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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: current · pitch · dip · pit · mine · season · can · kick

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. season — of the year
  4. pitch — completely
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. mine — for digging
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pit — a hole
  9. kick — in football
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. can — a tin
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. can — a tin
  14. season — in sport
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. current — of water
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. current — electric
  21. dip — to sink
  22. current — happening now
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. can — to be able to

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