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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: cap · pitch · tube · row · bore · dip · bowl · squash

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. tube — a container
  3. bore — to drill
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. pitch — completely
  7. bore — to tire
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. cap — a lid
  13. dip — to sink
  14. cap — a hat
  15. tube — the underground
  16. cap — of ice
  17. squash — the sport
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. squash — to crush
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. row — a line
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. squash — the vegetable

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