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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 120 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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. craft — boats
  4. content — happy
  5. kick — in football
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cue — a hint
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. cap — a hat
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. content — the amount
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. prune — to trim
  17. cap — of ice
  18. cue — a signal
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. cap — a lid
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. prune — to trim
  23. craft — a skill
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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