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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.

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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. cue — a hint
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. pound — a weight
  8. craft — boats
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. cue — a signal
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a great time
  16. dip — to sink
  17. cue — for pool
  18. craft — a skill

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