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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ball — a dance
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. craft — a skill
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. cue — for pool
  7. chip — to eat
  8. cue — a hint
  9. mark — a trace
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. cue — a signal
  16. mug — a face
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mug — a cup
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. craft — boats
  21. mug — to rob
  22. stand — to bear
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. mark — a grade

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