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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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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. club — for golf
  3. hand — in cards
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. deal — to handle
  6. charge — in control
  7. charge — electricity
  8. craft — a skill
  9. club — a group
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. craft — boats
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. charge — a price
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. hand — help
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. club — for dancing
  24. racket — for tennis

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