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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. cue — a signal
  3. craft — a skill
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. object — a thing
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. track — a path
  12. track — a song
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. squash — to crush
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. craft — boats
  17. object — an aim
  18. cue — a hint
  19. object — to protest
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. kick — in football
  22. cue — for pool
  23. squash — the sport
  24. nail — for a hammer

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