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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. game — a match
  5. land — ground
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. current — happening now
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. game — wild animals
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. stand — to bear
  13. current — electric
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. mug — a face
  16. current — of water
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. land — to come down
  19. land — a country
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. mug — to rob
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. mug — a cup

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