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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: pop · racket · march · coach · craft · rest · net · foot

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. net — after costs
  5. craft — a skill
  6. rest — what's left
  7. pop — soda
  8. march — the month
  9. foot — a measure
  10. rest — a break
  11. craft — boats
  12. pop — music
  13. march — the month
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pop — to visit
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. march — music
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. rest — what's left
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. net — in sport

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