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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: suit · stand · sharp · pitch · bore · present · degree · swing

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bore — to drill
  3. degree — an amount
  4. sharp — clever
  5. degree — temperature
  6. bore — to tire
  7. swing — music
  8. suit — in cards
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. swing — in golf
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. swing — to play on
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. pitch — completely
  16. present — the time now
  17. suit — clothes
  18. degree — from a university
  19. stand — to bear
  20. present — there
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. suit — to fit
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. present — a gift

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