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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: foot · pop · racket · fall · cabinet · craft · bowl · bass

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  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. fall — to drop
  2. pop — soda
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. craft — a skill
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pop — music
  7. foot — a measure
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. bass — low music
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. bass — the fish
  18. craft — boats
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. fall — the season
  22. pop — to visit
  23. fall — to drop
  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