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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: mug · safe · pitcher · face · rest · fork · bat · craft

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. bat — the animal
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. rest — what's left
  6. craft — boats
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. fork — in a road
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. rest — what's left
  12. face — to confront
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mug — a cup
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. face — to point toward
  17. face — part of the head
  18. mug — a face
  19. rest — a break
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. bat — for baseball

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