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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. dip — to sink
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bore — to drill
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. pitch — completely
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bore — to tire
  19. rock — a stone
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. rock — music
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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