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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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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: cap · pitcher · nail · ruler · pitch · kid · cell · present

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. kid — to tease
  5. present — a gift
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. cap — a hat
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pitch — completely
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. present — the time now
  16. cap — of ice
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cell — a phone
  19. cell — in biology
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. kid — child
  22. present — there
  23. ruler — for measuring
  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