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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  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. craft — a handicraft
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cue — a hint
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. game — a match
  8. craft — boats
  9. staff — a stick
  10. lean — to bend
  11. swing — to play on
  12. staff — employees
  13. craft — a skill
  14. bass — low music
  15. bass — the fish
  16. lean — thin
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. staff — employees
  21. swing — music
  22. game — wild animals
  23. swing — in golf
  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