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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 116 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
468
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: file · bound · object · club · mate · pitch · craft · pitcher

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. craft — boats
  3. file — a document
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. mate — to breed
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. file — a line of people
  8. bound — certain
  9. mate — a friend
  10. club — a group
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bound — tied together
  13. club — for dancing
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. club — for golf
  18. pitch — completely
  19. object — an aim
  20. file — a tool
  21. bound — obliged
  22. mate — a partner
  23. object — a thing
  24. craft — a skill

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