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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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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: drill · pitch · mouse · staff · cap · ruler

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. drill — a practice
  5. staff — a stick
  6. staff — employees
  7. pitch — completely
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. cap — a hat
  11. drill — army training
  12. drill — the tool
  13. cap — of ice
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. staff — employees
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. cap — a lid

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