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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: firm · craft · pitch · fork · bank · hide · mouse · object

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. fork — in a road
  4. craft — boats
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. object — a thing
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. firm — decided
  10. bank — for money
  11. firm — a company
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. craft — a skill
  15. bank — for money
  16. object — to protest
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. firm — steady
  21. pitch — completely
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bank — of a river
  24. object — an aim

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