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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. bore — to drill
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. swing — in golf
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. sharp — clever
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. mug — a cup
  16. swing — to play on
  17. dip — to sink
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. mug — a face
  20. swing — music
  21. mug — to rob
  22. bore — to tire
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. sharp — with an edge

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