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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: craft · ground · sharp · suit · band · cell · racket · season

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. suit — clothes
  3. band — a ring
  4. craft — boats
  5. sharp — clever
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. cell — in biology
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. ground — a position
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. season — of the year
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. band — a music group
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. ground — crushed
  17. ground — the earth
  18. suit — to fit
  19. craft — a skill
  20. season — in sport
  21. suit — in cards
  22. cell — a phone
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. sharp — with an edge

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