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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: pitch · shower · suit · bear · rush · mark · bay · bore

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. suit — in cards
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bear — the animal
  7. shower — to wash
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. shower — rain
  12. mark — a trace
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bore — to drill
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. bear — the animal
  18. rush — hurry
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. pitch — completely
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. suit — clothes

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