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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mark — a trace
  5. cap — of ice
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. cap — a hat
  8. object — an aim
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. roll — a list
  11. game — wild animals
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. roll — a cake
  14. cap — a lid
  15. cue — for pool
  16. object — to protest
  17. ball — a dance
  18. game — a match
  19. cue — a signal
  20. craft — a skill
  21. craft — boats
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. object — a thing
  24. cue — a hint

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