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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: firm · bulb · key · craft · pitcher · spring · bark · coach

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. spring — of water
  3. key — the most important part
  4. firm — decided
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. firm — a company
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. craft — boats
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. spring — the season
  15. spring — a coil
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bark — to shout
  21. key — in music
  22. bulb — for light
  23. key — for a lock
  24. firm — steady

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