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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: drill · snap · stand · coach · bulb · rest · firm · pitcher

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. rest — what's left
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. bulb — for light
  6. rest — what's left
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. drill — army training
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. drill — a practice
  13. drill — the tool
  14. firm — a company
  15. firm — decided
  16. firm — steady
  17. rest — a break
  18. stand — to bear
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. snap — to click
  24. bulb — for light

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