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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: stand · cell · object · craft · roll · pitcher · foot · bore

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. cell — a phone
  3. foot — a measure
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. craft — a skill
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. roll — a cake
  11. roll — a list
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. object — to protest
  14. bore — to tire
  15. craft — boats
  16. stand — to bear
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. cell — in biology
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. object — an aim
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. bore — to drill
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. object — a thing

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