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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — boats
  3. cue — a signal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. cue — a hint
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. game — a match
  10. board — to get on
  11. board — a committee
  12. game — wild animals
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. date — the fruit
  16. rock — music
  17. deal — to handle
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. rock — a stone
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. craft — a skill
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. cue — for pool

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