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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 · date · rush · mouse · fine · present · drill · rash

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. drill — the tool
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. drill — army training
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. drill — a practice
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rush — hurry
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. rash — a series
  17. present — there
  18. present — the time now
  19. date — the fruit
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. fine — high quality
  22. fine — all right
  23. present — a gift
  24. date — on the calendar

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