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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bowl · present · rule · mug · pitcher · kick

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. rule — a law
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. kick — in football
  7. mug — a face
  8. present — the time now
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. present — there
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. rule — government
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. mug — a cup

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