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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 120 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bank · root · pitch · bore · rash · row · degree · pit

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  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. row — a line
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bore — to drill
  4. degree — temperature
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. rash — hasty
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. bank — for money
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. pitch — completely
  13. rash — a series
  14. root — of a word
  15. bank — for money
  16. pit — a hole
  17. root — the cause
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. root — of a plant
  20. degree — from a university
  21. row — to paddle
  22. degree — an amount
  23. pit — in a race
  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