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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: mouse · bound · mark · pitcher · present · shower · pit · toast

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. present — the time now
  3. shower — rain
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. shower — to wash
  8. present — there
  9. pit — a hole
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bound — tied together
  15. mark — a grade
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. pit — in a race
  19. toast — bread
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. present — a gift
  23. bound — obliged
  24. mouse — the animal

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