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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 · plane · march · drill · chest · staff · pitch · bass

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. chest — of your body
  3. chest — a box
  4. bass — the fish
  5. plane — a tool
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. drill — the tool
  8. bass — low music
  9. staff — a stick
  10. chest — of your body
  11. bore — to tire
  12. staff — employees
  13. march — the month
  14. drill — army training
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. march — music
  17. pitch — completely
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. march — the month
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. staff — employees
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. drill — a practice

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