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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  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. pitch — a sales talk
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bank — of a river
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bore — to drill
  7. drill — a practice
  8. pitch — completely
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bank — for money
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. craft — boats
  13. dip — to sink
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. drill — army training
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. drill — the tool
  18. craft — a skill
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bank — for money
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. fan — to cool the air
  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