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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: bore · current · bowl · game · pitch · wound · press · coach

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. press — newspapers
  5. bore — to drill
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. game — a match
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. current — electric
  16. current — happening now
  17. current — of water
  18. press — to push
  19. wound — an injury
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. bore — to tire
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. press — a publisher
  24. pitch — completely

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