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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
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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: craft · lash · stick · ball · game · spring · mouse · pit

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. game — a match
  4. craft — boats
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pit — a hole
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. spring — the season
  10. spring — a coil
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. craft — a skill
  14. ball — a great time
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. spring — of water
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. game — wild animals
  24. mouse — 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