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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 116 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 works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. craft — boats
  3. court — of law
  4. object — an aim
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pound — a weight
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. object — to protest
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. object — a thing
  14. kick — in football
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. craft — a skill
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. court — for sport
  22. court — of a king
  23. saw — the tool
  24. pound — to hit hard

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