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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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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: dip · lie · ball · drill · craft · racket · mark · pitcher

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. lie — to recline
  3. drill — army training
  4. ball — a dance
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. craft — a skill
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. mark — a grade
  10. ball — a great time
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. drill — a practice
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. dip — to sink
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. drill — the tool
  23. mark — a trace
  24. craft — boats

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