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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pitch · mug · mouse · deal · bore · rock · land · foot

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. pitch — completely
  3. mug — to rob
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. land — to come down
  6. bore — to drill
  7. land — a country
  8. mug — a cup
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. bore — to tire
  13. land — ground
  14. mug — a face
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. deal — to handle
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. rock — music
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. rock — a stone
  24. foot — a measure

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