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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 120 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
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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: pitcher · squash · pit · mug · craft · cell · saw · march

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. pit — a hole
  3. mug — a cup
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. saw — the tool
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pit — in a race
  8. cell — in biology
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. squash — to crush
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. march — music
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. mug — to rob
  15. mug — a face
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. cell — a phone
  19. craft — boats
  20. march — the month
  21. craft — a skill
  22. saw — the tool
  23. squash — the sport
  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