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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: squash · pit · chest · wave · board · bore · staff · pitcher

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. staff — a stick
  3. bore — to drill
  4. staff — employees
  5. squash — the sport
  6. chest — of your body
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. squash — to crush
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. chest — of your body
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. bore — to tire
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. staff — employees
  21. chest — a box
  22. board — to get on
  23. board — a committee
  24. pit — in a race

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