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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. craft — boats
  3. suit — to fit
  4. cue — a hint
  5. suit — clothes
  6. craft — a skill
  7. chest — of your body
  8. chest — a box
  9. cue — a signal
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. present — the time now
  12. prune — to trim
  13. suit — in cards
  14. wake — a trail
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. present — there
  18. stand — to bear
  19. prune — to trim
  20. cue — for pool
  21. present — a gift
  22. chest — of your body
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stand — for spectators

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