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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.

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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: bark · pitch · lean · mug · cabinet · drill · fan · racket

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bark — to shout
  3. mug — a cup
  4. drill — a practice
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pitch — completely
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. mug — to rob
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. lean — to bend
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. lean — thin
  21. mug — a face
  22. drill — the tool
  23. drill — army training
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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