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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: pitcher · tube · snap · patient · drill · lie · ball · fork

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. drill — army training
  4. snap — to click
  5. ball — a dance
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. drill — a practice
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — to recline
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. tube — the underground
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. drill — the tool
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. ball — a great time
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. tube — a container
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. lie — an untruth

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