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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.

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: firm · wind · craft · pitch · coach · sharp · mouse · mark

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. wind — moving air
  6. firm — steady
  7. wind — moving air
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. craft — boats
  10. craft — a skill
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. sharp — clever
  19. firm — decided
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. mark — a trace
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. firm — a company
  24. craft — a handicraft

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