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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. date — the fruit
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. court — of law
  5. band — a music group
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. drill — army training
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. drill — the tool
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. court — of a king
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mug — to rob
  17. band — a ring
  18. mug — a face
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. court — for sport
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. pitch — completely
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. drill — a practice

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