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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. prune — to trim
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. ball — a great time
  5. craft — a skill
  6. craft — boats
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. prune — to trim
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. pitch — completely
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. ball — a dance
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. cabinet — ministers

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