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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  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. bear — to put up with
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bear — the animal
  4. cap — of ice
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. cap — a hat
  7. cue — a hint
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. mine — for digging
  10. kid — child
  11. court — of law
  12. craft — a skill
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. cap — a lid
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. court — of a king
  17. craft — boats
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bear — the animal
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. cue — for pool
  22. court — for sport
  23. kid — to tease
  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