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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: toast · file · pitcher · pit · coach · fall · mug · current

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. mug — a face
  3. file — a tool
  4. file — a document
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. fall — the season
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. pit — in a race
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. current — of water
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — electric
  16. file — a line of people
  17. fall — to drop
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mug — a cup
  21. fall — to drop
  22. pit — a hole
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. pitcher — a jug

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