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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 120 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: lean · pitcher · mug · squash · ball · drill · bowl · racket

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. lean — thin
  3. squash — to crush
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. drill — army training
  7. mug — a cup
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. squash — the sport
  10. ball — a great time
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. mug — a face
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. drill — the tool
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. mug — to rob
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. ball — a dance
  20. lean — to bend
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. drill — a practice
  24. squash — the vegetable

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