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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. cap — of ice
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. cap — a hat
  5. scale — size or range
  6. prune — to trim
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. cue — for pool
  9. craft — a skill
  10. craft — boats
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. scale — in music
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. foot — a measure
  15. cue — a hint
  16. prune — to trim
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. board — a committee
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. board — to get on
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cue — a signal

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