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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 · fan · date · snap · drill · pass · ball · racket

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. drill — army training
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. drill — the tool
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. drill — a practice
  11. snap — to click
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. craft — boats
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. date — the fruit
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. pass — a permit
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. ball — a dance
  24. craft — a skill

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