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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 120 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: lean · bear · row · leaves · pitch · stock · key · bore

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. stock — shares
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. pitch — completely
  5. row — to paddle
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. lean — thin
  8. key — in music
  9. stock — goods
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. lean — to bend
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. key — for a lock
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. key — the most important part
  18. bear — the animal
  19. row — a line
  20. bore — to drill
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. bear — the animal
  24. pitch — a sports field

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