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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.

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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: racket · fine · craft · fan · snap · deal · mouse · rule

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. fine — all right
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. rule — government
  8. craft — boats
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. craft — a skill
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. fine — high quality
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. deal — to handle
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. rule — a law
  24. snap — to click

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