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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: racket · tear · rule · mark · pop · craft

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. tear — to rip
  3. mark — a grade
  4. rule — government
  5. craft — a skill
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. rule — a law
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mark — a trace
  11. craft — boats
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. pop — soda
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. tear — from crying
  16. tear — from crying
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pop — 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