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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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468
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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. kick — in football
  3. cue — a hint
  4. craft — boats
  5. cell — in biology
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. cell — a phone
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. squash — the sport
  11. craft — a skill
  12. mark — a trace
  13. cue — for pool
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. squash — to crush
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. cue — a signal
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mark — a grade
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. wave — of the sea

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