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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: wake · pitcher · firm · wind · charge · kick · pop · craft

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. firm — a company
  4. wind — moving air
  5. pop — to visit
  6. pop — soda
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. charge — electricity
  9. pop — music
  10. kick — in football
  11. firm — steady
  12. charge — in control
  13. firm — decided
  14. craft — boats
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. charge — a price
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. wake — a trail
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. craft — a skill
  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