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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: hand · firm · bore · bay · shower · can · toast · pitch

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. toast — bread
  3. pitch — completely
  4. hand — help
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. can — a tin
  7. bore — to tire
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. firm — decided
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. firm — a company
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. can — to be able to
  15. shower — rain
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. can — a tin
  19. firm — steady
  20. shower — to wash
  21. hand — in cards
  22. bore — to drill
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. pitch — a sports field

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