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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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468
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: last · net · staff · pitcher · stand · drill · craft · fine

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. net — in sport
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. net — for catching
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. staff — a stick
  8. net — after costs
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. fine — high quality
  11. last — final
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. drill — a practice
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stand — to bear
  16. drill — the tool
  17. last — finally
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — employees
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. last — to go on
  22. craft — boats
  23. fine — all right
  24. drill — army training

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