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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: cell · bear · dip · pitcher · staff · march · rock · racket

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. bear — the animal
  7. staff — a stick
  8. march — music
  9. march — the month
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. staff — employees
  14. cell — a phone
  15. dip — to sink
  16. cell — in biology
  17. march — the month
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. rock — music
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. staff — employees
  24. rock — a stone

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