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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: cold · craft · firm · lash · pitcher · pop · suit · board

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — clothes
  3. craft — a skill
  4. firm — decided
  5. cold — not warm
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. board — a committee
  8. board — to get on
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. suit — in cards
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. firm — a company
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. firm — steady
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pop — music
  18. craft — boats
  19. cold — an illness
  20. pop — soda
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pop — to visit
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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