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

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. cue — for pool
  4. craft — a skill
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. bank — of a river
  7. cue — a hint
  8. bank — for money
  9. file — a document
  10. stand — to bear
  11. scale — size or range
  12. file — a line of people
  13. craft — boats
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. file — a tool
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. cue — a signal
  20. rest — what's left
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. scale — in music
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. bank — for money

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