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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.

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: fan · ball · drill · race · suit · swing · craft · mouse

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. swing — in golf
  6. swing — to play on
  7. suit — clothes
  8. ball — a dance
  9. race — humankind
  10. race — the arms race
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. swing — music
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. drill — army training
  15. drill — a practice
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. craft — boats
  18. suit — to fit
  19. ball — a great time
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. craft — a skill
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. race — a contest
  24. drill — the tool

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