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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. suit — clothes
  3. cue — for pool
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. shower — to wash
  6. shower — rain
  7. cue — a signal
  8. rock — a stone
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. suit — to fit
  12. dip — to sink
  13. craft — a skill
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. capital — money
  16. fork — in a road
  17. suit — in cards
  18. cue — a hint
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. craft — boats
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. capital — a city

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