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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: firm · roll · bore · swing · temple · track · chest · pitch

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. track — a song
  3. track — a path
  4. chest — of your body
  5. swing — music
  6. chest — a box
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. swing — to play on
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. firm — a company
  11. track — to keep track
  12. pitch — completely
  13. roll — a cake
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. bore — to drill
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. swing — in golf
  20. chest — of your body
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. firm — decided
  23. bore — to tire
  24. firm — steady

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