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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: mouse · pitch · craft · perch · pop · mug · staff · wound

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. wound — an injury
  4. mug — to rob
  5. staff — employees
  6. mug — a cup
  7. pop — music
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. mug — a face
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. staff — a stick
  13. staff — employees
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pitch — completely
  17. perch — the fish
  18. craft — a skill
  19. pop — to visit
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. pop — soda
  23. wound — an injury
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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