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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.

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: fall · drill · suit · game · bay · pitcher · present · ball

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. present — the time now
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. fall — the season
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. drill — a practice
  10. game — wild animals
  11. present — there
  12. game — a match
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. present — a gift
  15. ball — a dance
  16. drill — the tool
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. fall — to drop
  19. suit — clothes
  20. fall — to drop
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. ball — a great time
  23. drill — army training
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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