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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 · roll · hand · saw · stand · rest · mug · pass

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. hand — in cards
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. hand — help
  5. saw — the tool
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pass — a permit
  9. rest — a break
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. rest — what's left
  12. stand — to bear
  13. saw — the tool
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. mug — a face
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. rest — what's left
  20. mug — a cup
  21. roll — a cake
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. mug — to rob

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