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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. cue — for pool
  6. wind — moving air
  7. vault — a safe
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. wind — moving air
  10. rash — a series
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. rock — music
  13. craft — boats
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — to trim
  16. craft — a skill
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. cue — a hint
  19. rock — a stone
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. cue — a signal

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