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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. craft — a skill
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. prune — to trim
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. chair — a leader
  7. stand — to bear
  8. shower — to wash
  9. club — a group
  10. craft — boats
  11. club — for dancing
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. cue — a hint
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cue — for pool
  18. club — for golf
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. shower — rain
  22. prune — to trim
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. stand — for spectators

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