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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: plane · craft · pitch · race · firm · rush · jam · wind

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. race — the arms race
  5. firm — decided
  6. craft — a skill
  7. plane — a tool
  8. firm — a company
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. race — a contest
  11. rush — hurry
  12. race — humankind
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. firm — steady
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — boats
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. pitch — completely
  23. wind — moving air
  24. jam — a tight spot

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