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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. cue — a hint
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. pit — a hole
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. present — the time now
  9. pit — in a race
  10. cue — a signal
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. present — there
  15. plane — a tool
  16. craft — boats
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. wind — moving air
  20. dip — to sink
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. cue — for pool
  23. wind — moving air
  24. craft — a skill

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