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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.

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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: deal · craft · wave · saw · stick · coach · pitcher · temple

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. saw — the tool
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. saw — the tool
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. craft — boats
  16. deal — to handle
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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