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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: squash · last · firm · drill · craft · racket · stick · dip

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. firm — steady
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. squash — the sport
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. dip — to sink
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. last — finally
  10. firm — decided
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. last — final
  14. drill — the tool
  15. squash — to crush
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. drill — army training
  19. craft — a skill
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. craft — boats
  22. last — to go on
  23. firm — a company
  24. drill — a practice

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