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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 116 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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. mate — to breed
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. cell — a phone
  5. ball — a dance
  6. cue — a hint
  7. ball — a great time
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. craft — a skill
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. mate — a friend
  13. cell — in biology
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. plane — a tool
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. cue — for pool
  22. mate — a partner
  23. stock — goods
  24. stock — shares

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