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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: pit · bore · bay · bat · lie · sharp · pitcher · kid

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. kid — child
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. lie — to recline
  6. pit — a hole
  7. bore — to drill
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bat — the animal
  11. bore — to tire
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pit — in a race
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. kid — to tease
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. sharp — clever
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitcher — a jug

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