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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
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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: craft · pit · last · swing · straw · net · ball · mark

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. net — after costs
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. mark — a trace
  6. net — for catching
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. swing — to play on
  9. last — finally
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. pit — a hole
  12. last — to go on
  13. craft — boats
  14. ball — a great time
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. pit — in a race
  17. last — final
  18. craft — a skill
  19. mark — a grade
  20. swing — in golf
  21. swing — music
  22. net — in sport
  23. ball — a dance
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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