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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. cue — for pool
  5. craft — boats
  6. tube — the underground
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. cue — a signal
  9. suit — to fit
  10. drill — the tool
  11. drill — army training
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. suit — in cards
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. board — a committee
  16. suit — clothes
  17. tube — a container
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. cue — a hint
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. drill — a practice
  24. board — to get on

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