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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 · cap · scale · leaves · bore · drill · fan · mug

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bore — to tire
  3. cap — a hat
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. drill — a practice
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bore — to drill
  8. cap — a lid
  9. mug — a face
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. scale — in music
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. mug — to rob
  16. drill — army training
  17. scale — size or range
  18. mug — a cup
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. drill — the tool
  24. cap — of ice

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