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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: bank · pit · key · craft · drill · firm · rush · pound

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. drill — the tool
  3. bank — of a river
  4. drill — a practice
  5. pound — a weight
  6. firm — decided
  7. key — the most important part
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. pit — a hole
  10. craft — boats
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — for money
  13. key — in music
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. firm — a company
  16. drill — army training
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. key — for a lock
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. firm — steady
  21. rush — hurry
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. pit — in a race

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