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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
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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: rest · chair · scale · foot · drill · pitcher · date · dip

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. scale — size or range
  4. dip — to sink
  5. rest — what's left
  6. drill — the tool
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. scale — in music
  10. rest — what's left
  11. drill — army training
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. drill — a practice
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. foot — a measure
  16. rest — a break
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. date — the fruit
  19. chair — a leader
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. scale — for weighing

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