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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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. pitch — completely
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. craft — a skill
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. rash — a series
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. date — the fruit
  13. craft — boats
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. fork — in a road
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — for light
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. rash — hasty
  24. nail — for a hammer

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