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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 120 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: craft · cabinet · deal · firm · can · pitch · foot · wind

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. can — to be able to
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. pitch — completely
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. deal — to handle
  8. foot — a measure
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. firm — steady
  11. craft — a skill
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. wind — moving air
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — a tin
  17. firm — decided
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. craft — boats
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. wind — moving air
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pitch — a sports field

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