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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. cue — a hint
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. rule — government
  6. craft — a skill
  7. cue — a signal
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. rule — a law
  10. drill — the tool
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. court — of law
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. drill — a practice
  18. court — for sport
  19. drill — army training
  20. cue — for pool
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. court — of a king
  24. coach — a trainer

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