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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 · mug · shower · bore · content · track · cap · ruler

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. cap — a lid
  4. mug — to rob
  5. content — happy
  6. bore — to tire
  7. shower — to wash
  8. mug — a face
  9. mug — a cup
  10. bore — to drill
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. cap — a hat
  17. track — a song
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. track — a path
  20. track — to keep track
  21. shower — rain
  22. pitch — completely
  23. content — the amount
  24. ruler — for measuring

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