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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.

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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 · firm · stick · face · wound · mouse · kick · craft

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. firm — steady
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. craft — a skill
  8. face — to point toward
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. craft — boats
  12. firm — a company
  13. wound — an injury
  14. face — part of the head
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. face — to confront
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. wound — an injury
  21. firm — decided
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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