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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: pitcher · chest · track · stand · kick · mug · bore · pop

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  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. chest — of your body
  2. kick — in football
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bore — to drill
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. mug — a cup
  8. track — a song
  9. mug — to rob
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. pop — music
  12. track — to keep track
  13. track — a path
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. mug — a face
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. pop — soda
  19. chest — of your body
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. chest — a box
  22. pop — to visit
  23. stand — to bear
  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