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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: jam · ruler · racket · mouse · craft · row · pop · bay

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. craft — boats
  4. row — a line
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. pop — music
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. pop — soda
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. row — to paddle
  23. craft — a skill
  24. pop — to visit

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