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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pitcher · drill · rock · net · bass · craft · file · staff

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. drill — the tool
  4. staff — a stick
  5. file — a document
  6. file — a tool
  7. rock — a stone
  8. staff — employees
  9. craft — boats
  10. rock — music
  11. net — for catching
  12. bass — low music
  13. net — after costs
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. bass — the fish
  16. file — a line of people
  17. craft — a skill
  18. drill — army training
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. staff — employees
  23. drill — a practice
  24. net — in sport

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