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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. craft — a skill
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. ball — a great time
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. capital — a city
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. key — the most important part
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. key — for a lock
  15. craft — boats
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. capital — money
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. toast — bread
  22. ball — a dance
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. key — in music

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