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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: stick · craft · racket · prune · key · can

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. can — a tin
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. can — to be able to
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. key — for a lock
  8. craft — a skill
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. craft — boats
  11. prune — to trim
  12. can — a tin
  13. prune — to trim
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. key — the most important part
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. key — in music
  18. craft — a handicraft

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