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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: pitcher · cue · bore · fall · wave · plane · straw · mug

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. mug — to rob
  5. bore — to drill
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. mug — a cup
  11. plane — a tool
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. fall — the season
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cue — for pool
  21. fall — to drop
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. mug — a face
  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