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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. wind — moving air
  4. mark — a trace
  5. craft — boats
  6. cue — for pool
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. hand — in cards
  9. craft — a skill
  10. date — the fruit
  11. cue — a signal
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mark — a grade
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. sharp — clever
  16. bass — low music
  17. wind — moving air
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. bass — the fish
  21. hand — help
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. cue — a hint

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