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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. current — happening now
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. cue — a signal
  6. cue — a hint
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. current — electric
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. cue — for pool
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. current — of water
  14. dip — to sink
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. craft — boats
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. fork — in a road
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. craft — a skill
  24. pitch — completely

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