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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cue — for pool
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mark — a grade
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. craft — boats
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. ball — a dance
  18. craft — a skill
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. cue — a signal
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. mark — a trace

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