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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: spring · pitch · content · staff · mouse · file · suit · craft

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. craft — a skill
  3. staff — employees
  4. spring — a coil
  5. suit — clothes
  6. suit — in cards
  7. file — a line of people
  8. staff — employees
  9. pitch — completely
  10. suit — to fit
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. spring — of water
  14. staff — a stick
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. file — a document
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. craft — boats
  20. spring — the season
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. content — the amount
  23. file — a tool
  24. content — happy

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