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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: track · pitcher · bowl · board · kick · straw · sharp · craft

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. sharp — clever
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. track — to keep track
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. craft — a skill
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. track — a song
  16. kick — in football
  17. board — a committee
  18. board — to get on
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. craft — boats
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. track — a path

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