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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. firm — decided
  4. sharp — clever
  5. suit — clothes
  6. craft — a skill
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. cap — a lid
  9. wake — a trail
  10. cap — of ice
  11. net — after costs
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. craft — boats
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. suit — in cards
  16. net — for catching
  17. firm — steady
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. firm — a company
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. net — in sport
  22. cap — a hat
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. suit — to fit

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