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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: rash · mouse · arm · bass · roll · craft · stick · racket

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. rash — hasty
  8. roll — a cake
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. roll — a list
  12. craft — a skill
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. rash — a series
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. craft — boats
  23. bass — low music
  24. racket — a loud noise

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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