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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: pitch · object · dip · bear · coach · hand · lean · bore

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bear — the animal
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. hand — help
  5. bore — to drill
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. lean — to bend
  8. pitch — completely
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — an aim
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. object — to protest
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. dip — to sink
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bore — to tire
  17. hand — in cards
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. lean — thin
  23. bear — the animal
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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