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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 124 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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. bore — to drill
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. band — a music group
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. pop — to visit
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pop — music
  16. pop — soda
  17. squash — to crush
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. band — a ring
  21. squash — the sport
  22. snap — to click
  23. squash — the vegetable
  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