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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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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: root · pitch · bore · kid · suit · patient · dip · bay

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. kid — to tease
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. root — of a word
  5. suit — clothes
  6. suit — to fit
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. root — the cause
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. bore — to drill
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bore — to tire
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. dip — to sink
  18. suit — in cards
  19. root — of a plant
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. kid — child
  23. pitch — completely
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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