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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 120 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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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. drill — a practice
  4. club — a group
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. race — a contest
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. foot — a measure
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. craft — boats
  11. race — humankind
  12. drill — army training
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. race — the arms race
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. drill — the tool
  23. craft — a skill
  24. club — for dancing

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