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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · drill · foot · rest · deal · dip · bass · cabinet

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  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. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. rest — a break
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. drill — the tool
  8. bass — low music
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. rest — what's left
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. bass — the fish
  15. foot — a measure
  16. drill — army training
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. deal — to handle
  19. drill — a practice
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. dip — to sink
  23. dip — a sauce
  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