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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.

Make a worksheet

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: wound · object · craft · straw · shower · racket · key · sharp

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. key — in music
  3. wound — an injury
  4. craft — boats
  5. craft — a skill
  6. sharp — clever
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. object — an aim
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. key — for a lock
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. object — to protest
  16. shower — to wash
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. object — a thing
  19. shower — rain
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. wound — an injury
  23. key — the most important part
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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