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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. cue — a hint
  6. row — a line
  7. wake — a trail
  8. cue — a signal
  9. craft — a skill
  10. tube — a container
  11. tube — the underground
  12. charge — a price
  13. cue — for pool
  14. clip — for paper
  15. charge — electricity
  16. clip — a video
  17. craft — boats
  18. capital — money
  19. row — to paddle
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. clip — to cut
  22. charge — in control
  23. capital — a big letter
  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