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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 drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. saw — the tool
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. toast — bread
  14. stand — to bear
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. bass — the fish
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. dip — to sink
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bass — low music
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. stand — on your feet

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