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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: arm · rush · drill · key · trunk · firm · pitch · craft

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. craft — boats
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. firm — a company
  7. firm — decided
  8. drill — army training
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. drill — the tool
  11. drill — a practice
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. craft — a skill
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pitch — completely
  16. key — for a lock
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. key — in music
  19. firm — steady
  20. key — the most important part
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. rush — hurry

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