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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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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 · ruler · face · stick · craft · suit · pitch · file

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. file — a tool
  4. file — a line of people
  5. suit — clothes
  6. file — a document
  7. face — part of the head
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitch — completely
  12. face — to point toward
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. craft — a skill
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. suit — to fit
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. suit — in cards
  24. face — to confront

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