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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: mug · cabinet · drill · rest · pit · mark · wake · firm

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. drill — a practice
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. wake — a trail
  6. rest — what's left
  7. drill — army training
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pit — a hole
  10. firm — decided
  11. drill — the tool
  12. mark — a trace
  13. firm — a company
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. firm — steady
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mug — to rob
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. rest — a break
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. rest — what's left
  23. pit — in a race
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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