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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. mug — a face
  3. mark — a trace
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bulb — for light
  9. mug — a cup
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. file — a tool
  12. mug — to rob
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mate — a friend
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mate — a partner
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. file — a line of people
  21. file — a document
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bulb — for light
  24. mouse — the animal

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