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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. cue — a signal
  3. cue — a hint
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. club — a group
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. club — for dancing
  9. club — for golf
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. craft — boats
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. foot — a measure
  21. stand — to bear
  22. perch — the fish
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. cue — for pool

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