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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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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: wind · bore · stand · mug · pitch · cell

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. mug — to rob
  4. cell — in biology
  5. wind — moving air
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. bore — to drill
  11. pitch — completely
  12. bore — to tire
  13. cell — a phone
  14. stand — to bear
  15. mug — a cup
  16. wind — moving air
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. mug — a face

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