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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. cue — a signal
  3. craft — a skill
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. spring — the season
  9. cue — for pool
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. craft — boats
  12. toast — bread
  13. deal — to handle
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. row — to paddle
  17. cue — a hint
  18. spring — of water
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. row — a line
  21. spring — a coil
  22. suit — clothes
  23. plane — a tool
  24. suit — to fit

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