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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. cue — a signal
  4. kick — in football
  5. craft — a skill
  6. stand — to bear
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. cue — for pool
  10. game — wild animals
  11. cue — a hint
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. ground — the earth
  14. game — a match
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. ground — a position
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. ground — crushed
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. lean — thin
  23. lean — to bend
  24. craft — a handicraft

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