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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 · spring · calf · cabinet · racket · bore · rush · board

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. spring — the season
  4. spring — of water
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. board — to get on
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. board — a committee
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. spring — a coil
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. rush — hurry
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bore — to tire
  22. pitch — completely
  23. bore — to drill
  24. cabinet — ministers

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