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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 116 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: pit · pitch · pitcher · root · mouse · wake · fork · bore

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  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. pit — in a race
  2. root — of a word
  3. pitch — completely
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. root — the cause
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. root — of a plant
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. wake — a trail
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bore — to drill
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. fork — in a road
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. mouse — for a computer
  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