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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. craft — a skill
  11. snap — to click
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. firm — steady
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. firm — a company
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. firm — decided
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. craft — boats
  24. craft — a handicraft

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