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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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. shower — rain
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bore — to drill
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. rock — a stone
  11. bore — to tire
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — clothes
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stock — shares
  16. game — a match
  17. content — happy
  18. rock — music
  19. shower — to wash
  20. pitch — completely
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. content — the amount
  24. stock — goods

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