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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 · bowl · spring · stick · bore · pitch · board · drill

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — a skill
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. board — to get on
  7. drill — the tool
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pitch — completely
  10. spring — of water
  11. board — a committee
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. drill — a practice
  15. spring — the season
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. spring — a coil
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. bore — to tire
  24. drill — army training

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