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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pass — a permit
  3. swing — in golf
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. content — the amount
  15. track — a song
  16. track — to keep track
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. swing — music
  21. swing — to play on
  22. content — happy
  23. track — a path
  24. bore — to tire

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