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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 116 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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. can — to be able to
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. file — a tool
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. mug — a face
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. drill — army training
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. file — a document
  11. mug — to rob
  12. file — a line of people
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. can — a tin
  15. mug — a cup
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cue — for pool
  18. drill — a practice
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. drill — the tool
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. can — a tin
  23. cue — a signal
  24. fine — all right

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