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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: pitcher · object · toast · pitch · foot · mark · pop · drill

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  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. drill — the tool
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pop — soda
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. mark — a trace
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. object — a thing
  9. toast — bread
  10. pop — to visit
  11. foot — a measure
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. pop — music
  17. mark — a grade
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. object — an aim
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. drill — a practice
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. object — to protest
  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