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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 116 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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. suit — to fit
  3. band — a ring
  4. craft — a skill
  5. cue — a signal
  6. suit — in cards
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. board — a committee
  10. rush — hurry
  11. band — a music group
  12. suit — clothes
  13. cue — for pool
  14. craft — boats
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. content — happy
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. board — to get on
  20. cue — a hint
  21. content — the amount
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. craft — a handicraft

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