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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 116 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: chip · field · bank · bore · wound · pass · pitch · content

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — an injury
  5. field — for sport
  6. chip — for betting
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. bank — of a river
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bore — to drill
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pass — a permit
  15. bank — for money
  16. chip — to eat
  17. content — the amount
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. pitch — completely
  21. field — farmland
  22. bank — for money
  23. bore — to tire
  24. content — happy

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