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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: lash · craft · race · last · coach · racket · perch · bear

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. bear — the animal
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. perch — the fish
  7. last — to go on
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. race — a contest
  11. race — humankind
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. last — finally
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. last — final
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. race — the arms race
  22. craft — boats
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. craft — a handicraft

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