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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: bear · net · toast · fall · arm · craft · cue · pitcher

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. fall — to drop
  5. craft — boats
  6. net — for catching
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. cue — for pool
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. cue — a signal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. toast — bread
  13. fall — the season
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bear — the animal
  16. net — after costs
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. fall — to drop
  20. net — in sport
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. craft — a skill
  23. cue — a hint
  24. pitcher — a jug

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