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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. stand — to bear
  3. saw — the tool
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pop — music
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pop — to visit
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. mark — a trace
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. drill — a practice
  13. cue — for pool
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. cue — a signal
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. drill — army training
  18. drill — the tool
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. saw — the tool
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. cue — a hint
  23. mark — a grade
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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