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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 · pitch · swing · track · toast · wound · wave · bank

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. bore — to tire
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. bore — to drill
  5. track — to keep track
  6. pitch — completely
  7. bank — for money
  8. wound — an injury
  9. swing — to play on
  10. swing — music
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. bank — of a river
  13. swing — in golf
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wound — an injury
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. track — a path
  21. track — a song
  22. bank — for money
  23. toast — bread
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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