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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 · board · fan · prune · craft · bore · face · content

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. face — part of the head
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. prune — to trim
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. board — to get on
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. pitch — completely
  14. prune — to trim
  15. content — the amount
  16. face — to point toward
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. craft — a skill
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bore — to tire
  22. content — happy
  23. face — to confront
  24. board — a committee

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