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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: craft · face · ball · squash · cabinet · racket

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. craft — a skill
  3. face — to confront
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. face — to point toward
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. face — part of the head
  10. craft — boats
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ball — a dance
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. squash — to crush
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. squash — the sport

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