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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. saw — the tool
  3. rule — government
  4. cue — a hint
  5. craft — boats
  6. mug — to rob
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. spell — magic
  11. cue — for pool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. craft — a skill
  14. mug — a cup
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. content — happy
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. rule — a law
  19. spell — letters
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. chair — a leader
  22. content — the amount
  23. cue — a signal
  24. spell — a short time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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