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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.

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: land · board · pop · cabinet · racket · club · straw · craft

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. land — ground
  7. pop — to visit
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. club — for golf
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. board — a committee
  13. craft — a skill
  14. club — a group
  15. pop — soda
  16. land — a country
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. club — for dancing
  19. pop — music
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. craft — boats
  24. craft — a handicraft

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