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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. squash — to crush
  4. pitch — completely
  5. squash — the sport
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. mark — a grade
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bore — to tire
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. bore — to drill
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. deal — to handle
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. shower — rain
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. mug — a face
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mark — a trace
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. shower — to wash

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