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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: mug · rest · firm · drill · pitcher · club · ball · rock

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ball — a dance
  4. firm — steady
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. mug — a cup
  7. drill — a practice
  8. drill — army training
  9. club — a group
  10. club — for dancing
  11. rest — a break
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. rock — a stone
  14. ball — a great time
  15. firm — a company
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. drill — the tool
  18. firm — decided
  19. club — for golf
  20. rest — what's left
  21. mug — a face
  22. mug — to rob
  23. rock — music
  24. pitcher — a jug

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