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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 116 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: straw · bowl · drill · pitcher · present · pitch · pop · current

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. present — the time now
  4. current — of water
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. drill — army training
  7. present — there
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. pop — soda
  10. current — electric
  11. pop — to visit
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. drill — a practice
  16. pop — music
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. current — happening now
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. present — a gift
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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