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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: stick · drill · rush · pitcher · hand · bass · bear · racket

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. hand — help
  7. drill — the tool
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. drill — army training
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. rush — hurry
  15. drill — a practice
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bass — low music
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bass — the fish
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. hand — in cards

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