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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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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 · mate · stock · safe · pop · mine · straw · craft

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pop — soda
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. mate — to breed
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pop — music
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. stock — goods
  13. craft — boats
  14. mine — for digging
  15. mate — a friend
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. mate — a partner
  19. craft — a skill
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. pop — to visit
  23. stock — shares
  24. pitcher — a jug

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