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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 · stick · present · craft · bowl · cue

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. present — there
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. cue — a signal
  10. craft — a skill
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cue — for pool
  13. present — the time now
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. present — a gift
  16. craft — boats
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — a piece of wood

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