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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. band — a music group
  11. perch — the fish
  12. band — a ring
  13. race — humankind
  14. race — the arms race
  15. craft — boats
  16. craft — a skill
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. race — a contest
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a grade
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. mark — a trace
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. straw — dry grass

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