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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. cue — a signal
  4. plane — a tool
  5. spring — of water
  6. firm — a company
  7. firm — steady
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. club — for dancing
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. firm — decided
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. spring — the season
  16. cue — a hint
  17. craft — a skill
  18. craft — boats
  19. club — for golf
  20. spring — a coil
  21. cue — for pool
  22. club — a group
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. calf — a young animal

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