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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: chair · firm · craft · snap · safe · rock · foot · pitcher

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. chair — a leader
  4. rock — music
  5. craft — boats
  6. foot — a measure
  7. firm — steady
  8. craft — a skill
  9. firm — a company
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. rock — a stone
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. firm — decided
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. snap — to click
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. chair — to sit on

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