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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 116 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: can · board · lash · bay · kid · racket · cue · craft

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. can — to be able to
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. kid — child
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. cue — for pool
  9. board — a committee
  10. cue — a signal
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. kid — to tease
  16. craft — boats
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. board — to get on
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. craft — a skill

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