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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: hide · pitcher · wind · mouse · firm · toast · craft · date

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. wind — moving air
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. firm — decided
  7. craft — boats
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. firm — steady
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. date — the fruit
  14. craft — a skill
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. toast — bread
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. wind — moving air
  24. firm — a company

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