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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: wake · racket · race · sharp · stand · craft · pit · jam

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. pit — in a race
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. wake — a trail
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. stand — to bear
  11. craft — a skill
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. race — the arms race
  18. race — humankind
  19. pit — a hole
  20. sharp — clever
  21. race — a contest
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. craft — boats
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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