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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: drill · pitcher · last · game · cabinet · patient · stock · cap

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. drill — army training
  3. drill — the tool
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. drill — a practice
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. last — finally
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. cap — a hat
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. last — final
  14. cap — of ice
  15. last — to go on
  16. stock — shares
  17. game — wild animals
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. cap — a lid
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. game — a match
  23. stock — goods
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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