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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 · bark · object · rash · jam · ground · nail · bore

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. ground — crushed
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. object — a thing
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. object — an aim
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. bore — to tire
  15. rash — hasty
  16. bore — to drill
  17. ground — a position
  18. pitch — completely
  19. rash — a series
  20. ground — the earth
  21. object — to protest
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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