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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.

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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. mug — a cup
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. dip — to sink
  7. drill — the tool
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. pit — a hole
  11. cue — a signal
  12. drill — a practice
  13. mug — a face
  14. scale — in music
  15. mug — to rob
  16. foot — a measure
  17. drill — army training
  18. pit — in a race
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. cue — a hint
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. cue — for pool
  24. scale — size or range

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