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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.

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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: net · date · craft · board · ball · racket · fan · drill

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  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. craft — a handicraft
  2. board — to get on
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. drill — the tool
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. net — for catching
  9. net — after costs
  10. drill — a practice
  11. net — in sport
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. board — a committee
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. date — the fruit
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. ball — a great time
  19. craft — a skill
  20. ball — a dance
  21. drill — army training
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. board — a flat piece
  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