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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cue — for pool
  5. content — happy
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. craft — a skill
  13. content — the amount
  14. craft — boats
  15. net — for catching
  16. cue — a hint
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. net — in sport
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. net — after costs
  24. dip — to sink

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