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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. craft — a skill
  3. fork — in a road
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. charge — in control
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. march — the month
  11. craft — boats
  12. charge — electricity
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. cue — for pool
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. tube — the underground
  18. tube — a container
  19. charge — a price
  20. wax — to grow
  21. cue — a hint
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. march — music
  24. march — the month

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