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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. bank — of a river
  5. drill — army training
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. snap — to click
  8. drill — the tool
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. cue — for pool
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. bank — for money
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. board — to get on
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cue — a signal
  20. board — a committee
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. drill — a practice

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