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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: pitch · stand · hide · bore · present · fork · hand · bulb

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. bore — to drill
  3. hand — in cards
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. present — a gift
  11. present — there
  12. fork — in a road
  13. pitch — completely
  14. present — the time now
  15. bulb — for light
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. stand — to bear
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. bore — to tire

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