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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: craft · pop · mouse · coach · date · cap · firm · nail

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. craft — a skill
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. firm — a company
  7. cap — a lid
  8. cap — of ice
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. pop — soda
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. firm — decided
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. cap — a hat
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. craft — boats
  17. pop — to visit
  18. date — the fruit
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. firm — steady
  24. pop — 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