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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
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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 · spell · pit · pitcher · rest · mug · bat · coach

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mug — a face
  3. pit — in a race
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. rest — what's left
  7. spell — letters
  8. bat — the animal
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. mug — to rob
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — a break
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pit — a hole
  19. spell — magic
  20. craft — a skill
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. craft — boats
  23. spell — a short time
  24. coach — a trainer

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