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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: saw · racket · bowl · pass · spring · pitch · can · bore

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. spring — the season
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. spring — a coil
  7. can — a tin
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. bore — to tire
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. can — to be able to
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. spring — of water
  15. saw — the tool
  16. pass — a permit
  17. can — a tin
  18. saw — the tool
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bore — to drill
  24. racket — for tennis

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