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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: mouse · roll · spell · arm · foot · bear · bore · pitch

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. bore — to tire
  3. bore — to drill
  4. roll — a list
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. bear — the animal
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bear — the animal
  15. pitch — completely
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. spell — magic
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. foot — a measure
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. spell — letters
  24. spell — a short time

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