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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: bore · root · pound · craft · pitch · sharp · march · pop

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  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. sharp — clever
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. root — of a word
  4. bore — to drill
  5. craft — boats
  6. pound — a weight
  7. pop — music
  8. root — the cause
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pop — to visit
  12. pitch — completely
  13. craft — a skill
  14. march — the month
  15. root — of a plant
  16. march — the month
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. march — music
  23. pop — soda
  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