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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: rush · nail · face · firm · pitcher · mouse · pop · craft

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. face — to confront
  3. craft — a skill
  4. firm — a company
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. pop — music
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. firm — steady
  10. pop — soda
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. craft — boats
  16. rush — hurry
  17. face — to point toward
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. pop — to visit
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. face — part of the head
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. pitcher — a jug

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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