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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: stick · bear · pitch · mark · ruler · cap · shower · bowl

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. shower — rain
  4. pitch — completely
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cap — of ice
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. cap — a hat
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. shower — to wash
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. mark — a grade
  24. mark — a trace

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