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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: rock · plane · pitcher · tube · mouse · key · march · dip

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. tube — a container
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. tube — the underground
  6. key — the most important part
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. dip — to sink
  9. march — the month
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. rock — music
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. march — the month
  18. key — for a lock
  19. plane — a tool
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. rock — a stone
  22. march — music
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. key — in music

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