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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: pound · stick · mug · pitcher · scale · drill · bulb · wake

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. mug — a cup
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. scale — in music
  8. pound — a weight
  9. wake — a trail
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. bulb — for light
  12. drill — a practice
  13. scale — size or range
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. mug — a face
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. drill — the tool
  22. mug — to rob
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. drill — army training

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