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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 120 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: racket · club · bass · temple · pitcher · craft · board · straw

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  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. pitcher — in baseball
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. board — a committee
  7. club — a group
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. club — for dancing
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. craft — a skill
  15. bass — low music
  16. bass — the fish
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. board — to get on
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. club — for golf
  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