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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: craft · branch · board · ball · foot · fork · firm · pitcher

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — decided
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a committee
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. fork — in a road
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. craft — boats
  15. craft — a skill
  16. branch — a division
  17. firm — a company
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. foot — a measure
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a dance
  24. board — a flat piece

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