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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 · bore · hand · board · pass · staff · sharp · rock

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. rock — a stone
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bore — to drill
  9. board — a committee
  10. pass — a permit
  11. staff — a stick
  12. staff — employees
  13. rock — music
  14. hand — in cards
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. board — to get on
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. hand — help
  19. staff — employees
  20. bore — to tire
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. sharp — clever
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bore — gave birth

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