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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 116 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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. mug — to rob
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. lean — thin
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. hand — help
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. mug — a face
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. last — finally
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. last — final
  20. vault — a safe
  21. lean — to bend
  22. mug — a cup
  23. last — to go on
  24. hand — in cards

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