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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.

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: swing · can · rash · craft · content · ball · stand · racket

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. swing — in golf
  4. stand — to bear
  5. can — a tin
  6. ball — a great time
  7. can — to be able to
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. craft — a skill
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. swing — to play on
  14. content — happy
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rash — a series
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. can — a tin
  21. swing — music
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. craft — boats
  24. content — the amount

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