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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: swing · pit · roll · bore · chip · stand · bat · can

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. chip — for betting
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. bore — to drill
  5. roll — a cake
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. pit — a hole
  10. pit — in a race
  11. can — a tin
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. swing — music
  14. swing — in golf
  15. can — a tin
  16. swing — to play on
  17. roll — a list
  18. can — to be able to
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. chip — to eat
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bat — the animal
  24. stand — to bear

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