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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
468
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 · stick · nail · bass · suit · kick · bat · sharp

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. bass — low music
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. sharp — clever
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bass — the fish
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. craft — a skill
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. suit — clothes
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. craft — boats
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. kick — in football
  22. bat — the animal
  23. suit — to fit
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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