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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: bore · pit · kick · can · bound · branch · pitch · wax

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. bore — to tire
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pit — a hole
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bound — tied together
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. pitch — completely
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. wax — to grow
  12. bound — certain
  13. kick — in football
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. can — a tin
  16. branch — a division
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bound — obliged
  21. can — a tin
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. can — to be able to
  24. pit — in a race

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