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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  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 handicraft
  2. craft — boats
  3. cell — in biology
  4. bank — of a river
  5. track — to keep track
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. fall — to drop
  8. cue — a hint
  9. cue — for pool
  10. date — the fruit
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. fall — the season
  13. track — a path
  14. fall — to drop
  15. can — a tin
  16. cell — a phone
  17. bank — for money
  18. can — a tin
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bank — for money
  21. track — a song
  22. can — to be able to
  23. craft — a skill
  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