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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.

Make a worksheet

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: pitch · pit · drill · wave · mug · tube · fine · shower

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. fine — all right
  3. mug — a cup
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. drill — army training
  8. mug — a face
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. drill — a practice
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. pit — a hole
  13. tube — the underground
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. tube — a container
  17. shower — to wash
  18. shower — rain
  19. mug — to rob
  20. pitch — completely
  21. fine — high quality
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. drill — the tool
  24. pitch — a sports field

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