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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. cell — in biology
  6. drill — a practice
  7. cue — for pool
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. cell — a phone
  14. cue — a hint
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. stand — to bear
  18. saw — the tool
  19. cue — a signal
  20. drill — army training
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. saw — the tool
  24. pitcher — a jug

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