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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. craft — boats
  3. cue — for pool
  4. plane — a tool
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. rash — hasty
  7. cue — a signal
  8. mark — a grade
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. cue — a hint
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. perch — the fish
  14. rash — a series
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. craft — a skill
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. fan — to cool the air

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