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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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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: cap · mark · craft · foot · stick · branch · racket · bear

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. cap — a lid
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. bear — the animal
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. cap — a hat
  10. mark — a trace
  11. foot — a measure
  12. cap — of ice
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. branch — a division
  23. craft — boats
  24. bear — the animal

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