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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stick · pitcher · object · mine · cabinet · pop · present · bay

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. object — an aim
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. object — a thing
  5. object — to protest
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. present — there
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. pop — to visit
  10. present — a gift
  11. mine — for digging
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. pop — music
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. present — the time now
  21. pop — soda
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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