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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 124 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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. spring — a coil
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. cue — a signal
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. cue — for pool
  10. spell — letters
  11. rock — music
  12. spring — the season
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. date — the fruit
  15. cue — a hint
  16. rock — a stone
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. spell — a short time
  19. spring — of water
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. spell — magic
  24. date — on the calendar

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