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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 116 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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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: bowl · mark · bay · craft · shower · suit · racket · straw

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. craft — boats
  7. shower — rain
  8. craft — a skill
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mark — a grade
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. suit — in cards
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. shower — to wash
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. suit — clothes

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