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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: pitcher · drill · object · craft · can · march · key · kick

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. object — an aim
  4. drill — the tool
  5. can — to be able to
  6. march — music
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. march — the month
  9. march — the month
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. kick — in football
  12. can — a tin
  13. object — a thing
  14. craft — boats
  15. key — in music
  16. drill — army training
  17. key — the most important part
  18. craft — a skill
  19. key — for a lock
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. drill — a practice
  22. object — to protest
  23. can — a tin
  24. kick — a thrill

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