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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: can · saw · wave · pitcher · degree · pit · bore · key

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. key — for a lock
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bore — to tire
  8. saw — the tool
  9. key — the most important part
  10. saw — the tool
  11. key — in music
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. degree — from a university
  17. degree — an amount
  18. pit — a hole
  19. can — a tin
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. degree — temperature
  22. bore — to drill
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. pitcher — a jug

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