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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: face · sharp · drill · mug · pitch · mate · bore · swing

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. swing — in golf
  3. bore — to tire
  4. swing — music
  5. drill — the tool
  6. pitch — completely
  7. mate — to breed
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. mate — a partner
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. face — part of the head
  12. face — to confront
  13. face — to point toward
  14. drill — a practice
  15. mug — a cup
  16. sharp — clever
  17. mate — a friend
  18. mug — to rob
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. swing — to play on
  21. drill — army training
  22. bore — to drill
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. mug — a face

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