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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: pitcher · board · date · key · ball · mug · foot · shower

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. foot — a measure
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. ball — a dance
  5. mug — to rob
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a committee
  9. shower — rain
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. ball — a great time
  13. key — for a lock
  14. date — the fruit
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. mug — a cup
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. shower — to wash
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. key — the most important part
  24. mug — a face

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