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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.

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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 · firm · bear · wind · present · craft · wound · stick

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. craft — a skill
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. wound — an injury
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. present — the time now
  13. wind — moving air
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. wind — moving air
  16. craft — boats
  17. firm — decided
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. firm — a company
  20. firm — steady
  21. present — a gift
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. present — there
  24. wind — to turn a key

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