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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: toast · dip · nail · bore · mug · chest · pitch · bear

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bore — to tire
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. pitch — completely
  7. chest — of your body
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. bore — to drill
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. chest — a box
  13. mug — a face
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. dip — to sink
  16. chest — of your body
  17. bear — the animal
  18. mug — a cup
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. toast — bread
  23. bear — the animal
  24. mug — to rob

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