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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. cue — a hint
  3. drill — a practice
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — clothes
  6. cue — for pool
  7. charge — electricity
  8. drill — the tool
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. row — a line
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. cue — a signal
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. drill — army training
  19. row — to paddle
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. suit — to fit
  22. charge — a price
  23. craft — a skill
  24. charge — in control

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