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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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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: pitch · foot · mug · bear · bore · lie · fan · kid

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. bore — to drill
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. foot — a measure
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. lie — to recline
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. bear — the animal
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bore — to tire
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. mug — a face
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. mug — a cup
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. mug — to rob
  19. kid — to tease
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bear — the animal
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. pitch — completely
  24. foot — part of the body

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