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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  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. mug — to rob
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. craft — boats
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. cue — for pool
  8. wound — an injury
  9. mark — a grade
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. wound — an injury
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. mug — a face
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. mark — a trace
  18. deal — to handle
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. craft — a skill
  21. cue — a signal
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. mug — a cup
  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