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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  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. board — a flat piece
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. craft — a skill
  5. cue — a signal
  6. object — a thing
  7. object — to protest
  8. cue — for pool
  9. last — finally
  10. cue — a hint
  11. firm — steady
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. last — final
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. firm — a company
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. board — a committee
  18. last — to go on
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. craft — boats
  21. board — to get on
  22. firm — decided
  23. object — an aim
  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