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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: bound · content · pitch · land · fork · bay · foot · bore

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bound — tied together
  3. land — a country
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. bound — certain
  10. content — happy
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. land — ground
  15. land — to come down
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. pitch — completely
  18. content — the amount
  19. fork — in a road
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. bound — obliged
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. foot — a measure

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