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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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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: stock · mouse · track · wound · pitch · bore · rest · bay

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. rest — what's left
  3. track — a path
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. wound — an injury
  6. pitch — completely
  7. track — a song
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. stock — shares
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. bore — to tire
  14. wound — an injury
  15. stock — goods
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. track — to keep track
  18. rest — a break
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bore — to drill
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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