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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 116 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.

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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 · firm · straw · racket · chair · ball · cue · object

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. firm — a company
  4. craft — boats
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. craft — a skill
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. firm — decided
  10. object — an aim
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. ball — a great time
  13. cue — for pool
  14. cue — a signal
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. object — a thing
  17. cue — a hint
  18. object — to protest
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. ball — a dance
  22. chair — a leader
  23. firm — steady
  24. craft — a handicraft

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