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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. cue — a hint
  5. date — the fruit
  6. ball — a great time
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. fine — high quality
  9. hand — in cards
  10. present — the time now
  11. fine — all right
  12. present — a gift
  13. cue — for pool
  14. hand — help
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. present — there
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. cue — a signal
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. ball — a dance
  22. craft — boats
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. date — on the calendar

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