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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: snap · pitcher · game · content · bore · pitch · deal · drill

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. bore — to drill
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. drill — a practice
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. deal — to handle
  10. drill — the tool
  11. bore — to tire
  12. game — wild animals
  13. content — happy
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. content — the amount
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. game — a match
  22. snap — to click
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. drill — army training

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