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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: rock · pit · spring · craft · nail · bay · pitch · jam

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. pit — a hole
  3. craft — a skill
  4. spring — of water
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. rock — music
  10. pit — in a race
  11. spring — the season
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. spring — a coil
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. craft — boats
  20. rock — a stone
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. pitch — completely
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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