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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. lean — thin
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. drill — a practice
  5. drill — the tool
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. bank — for money
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. lean — to bend
  10. drill — army training
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. cue — a signal
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. toast — bread
  17. hand — help
  18. bank — for money
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. deal — to handle
  21. cue — for pool
  22. hand — in cards
  23. bank — of a river
  24. cue — a hint

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