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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 116 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: rest · club · straw · dip · pitch · lean · ground · bore

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. rest — what's left
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. ground — crushed
  5. bore — to tire
  6. ground — a position
  7. club — for dancing
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. lean — thin
  11. dip — to sink
  12. ground — the earth
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bore — to drill
  17. pitch — completely
  18. club — a group
  19. club — for golf
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. lean — to bend
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. lean — to rest against

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