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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. pitch — completely
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. degree — an amount
  5. cue — a hint
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. can — a tin
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. can — to be able to
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. saw — the tool
  13. degree — from a university
  14. degree — temperature
  15. can — a tin
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cue — a signal
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. craft — boats
  24. rush — hurry

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