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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: perch · bore · pitcher · pound · chest · dip · face · pit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. chest — a box
  3. chest — of your body
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bore — to drill
  9. face — part of the head
  10. perch — the fish
  11. dip — to sink
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. face — to point toward
  14. pit — a hole
  15. bore — to tire
  16. chest — of your body
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. face — to confront
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pound — a weight
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. pound — to hit hard

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