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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 120 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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. suit — clothes
  3. cap — a lid
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. suit — in cards
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. cap — a hat
  11. bear — the animal
  12. rash — hasty
  13. cap — of ice
  14. cue — a signal
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. vault — a safe
  18. cue — a hint
  19. game — wild animals
  20. suit — to fit
  21. craft — boats
  22. rash — a series
  23. bear — the animal
  24. cue — for pool

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