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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. drill — a practice
  4. mug — a cup
  5. squash — to crush
  6. current — of water
  7. suit — in cards
  8. drill — army training
  9. chair — a leader
  10. mug — to rob
  11. suit — clothes
  12. drill — the tool
  13. suit — to fit
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. current — happening now
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. squash — the sport
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. mug — a face
  22. current — electric
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. arm — part of the body

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