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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.

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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: pitcher · kid · rush · firm · nail · cabinet · bear · craft

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. craft — boats
  3. bear — the animal
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. firm — decided
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. firm — steady
  14. craft — a skill
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. kid — child
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. kid — to tease
  21. rush — hurry
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. firm — a company
  24. nail — on a finger

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