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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: rule · bear · key · pitcher · stand · drill · swing · can

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. key — in music
  3. can — a tin
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. key — for a lock
  6. can — to be able to
  7. key — the most important part
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. drill — a practice
  10. rule — government
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bear — the animal
  16. rule — a law
  17. bear — the animal
  18. drill — army training
  19. swing — music
  20. stand — to bear
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. swing — in golf
  23. can — a tin
  24. drill — the tool

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