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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: mouse · hand · sharp · swing · mate · pound · craft · ball

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  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. mouse — for a computer
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. ball — a great time
  5. hand — in cards
  6. craft — a skill
  7. swing — in golf
  8. swing — to play on
  9. ball — a dance
  10. mate — a friend
  11. swing — music
  12. mate — to breed
  13. sharp — clever
  14. hand — help
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. pound — a weight
  20. mate — a partner
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. mouse — the animal
  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