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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: craft · rush · pound · face · racket · season · stand · straw

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. craft — a skill
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. face — to point toward
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. craft — boats
  14. rush — hurry
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. face — part of the head
  17. face — to confront
  18. season — in sport
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. pound — a weight
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. season — of the year

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