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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: mate · stick · bulb · club · ball · craft · bass · racket

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. club — a group
  3. ball — a great time
  4. mate — to breed
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bass — the fish
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. mate — a friend
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. club — for dancing
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. club — for golf
  13. craft — a skill
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. craft — boats
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bulb — for light
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. ball — a dance
  20. bulb — for light
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bass — low music
  24. bass — the instrument

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