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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 120 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: pitch · face · pit · nail · craft · bore · pitcher · file

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. bore — to tire
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. face — part of the head
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. face — to point toward
  9. craft — a skill
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. bore — to drill
  12. face — to confront
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. file — a line of people
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. craft — boats
  17. pit — a hole
  18. file — a tool
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pit — in a race
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. bore — gave birth

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