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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: pop · craft · object · key · mine · staff · straw · pitcher

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. mine — for digging
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. object — an aim
  5. staff — a stick
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. craft — boats
  8. object — to protest
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. craft — a skill
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. object — a thing
  13. pop — soda
  14. staff — employees
  15. key — the most important part
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. pop — music
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. key — for a lock
  21. pop — to visit
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. staff — employees
  24. key — in music

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