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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — a skill
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. cue — a signal
  6. clip — for paper
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. cue — for pool
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. board — to get on
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. clip — to cut
  14. roll — a list
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. roll — a cake
  17. craft — boats
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. clip — a video
  21. cue — a hint
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. board — a committee
  24. bowl — to roll

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