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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  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. file — a document
  3. craft — boats
  4. file — a line of people
  5. roll — a cake
  6. cue — for pool
  7. mug — a cup
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. file — a tool
  10. cue — a signal
  11. mug — a face
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. rock — a stone
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. mug — to rob
  16. sharp — clever
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. roll — a list
  23. craft — a skill
  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