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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 is an ace ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. pop — to visit
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. drill — a practice
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. can — a tin
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. fine — all right
  11. foot — a measure
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. drill — army training
  14. game — a match
  15. pop — soda
  16. game — wild animals
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. can — a tin
  20. fine — high quality
  21. can — to be able to
  22. pop — music
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. drill — the tool

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