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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. ground — the earth
  4. mug — to rob
  5. key — in music
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. fall — to drop
  8. ground — crushed
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. drill — the tool
  11. pitch — completely
  12. fall — the season
  13. mug — a face
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. ground — a position
  16. key — the most important part
  17. drill — a practice
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. drill — army training
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. fall — to drop
  23. key — for a lock
  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