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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: mouse · bank · coach · pitch · chest · bore · arm · land

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. chest — of your body
  4. bore — to drill
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. bank — of a river
  9. chest — of your body
  10. bore — to tire
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. land — to come down
  15. bank — for money
  16. pitch — completely
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. land — a country
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. chest — a box
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. land — ground
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. mouse — the animal

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