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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: racket · press · club · band · foot · scale · lash · craft

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. club — a group
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. club — for dancing
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. press — to push
  9. scale — in music
  10. craft — a skill
  11. band — a music group
  12. band — a ring
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. foot — a measure
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. craft — boats
  18. press — newspapers
  19. press — a publisher
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. club — for golf

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