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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
468
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: pitcher · bat · pass · bore · fork · lie · bass · foot

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. fork — in a road
  5. lie — to recline
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bass — low music
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bass — the fish
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. bat — the animal
  17. foot — a measure
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bore — to drill
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. pass — a permit
  24. pass — to succeed

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