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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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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: cap · racket · pitch · safe · club · suit · cold · craft

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. craft — boats
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — in cards
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. cap — of ice
  7. cold — an illness
  8. pitch — completely
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. club — a group
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. cold — not warm
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. craft — a skill
  16. suit — to fit
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. cap — a hat
  19. club — for golf
  20. club — for dancing
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. cap — a lid
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. racket — for tennis

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