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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: shower · ruler · drill · mine · pitch · mug · object · craft

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. mug — to rob
  3. drill — a practice
  4. drill — the tool
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. object — an aim
  7. object — a thing
  8. craft — a skill
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. mug — a cup
  11. craft — boats
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. object — to protest
  15. mine — for digging
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. shower — rain
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. pitch — completely
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. drill — army training
  24. shower — to wash

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