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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: straw · suit · ground · craft · racket · prune · pitcher · lash

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. prune — to trim
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. prune — to trim
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. ground — the earth
  7. craft — a skill
  8. suit — clothes
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. craft — boats
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. ground — crushed
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. suit — to fit
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. ground — a position
  22. suit — in cards
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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