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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. suit — in cards
  3. cue — for pool
  4. net — for catching
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. craft — a skill
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. rock — a stone
  10. suit — to fit
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. net — in sport
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. net — after costs
  15. cue — a signal
  16. cue — a hint
  17. rock — music
  18. suit — clothes

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