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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. can — to be able to
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. kid — to tease
  6. craft — boats
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. craft — a skill
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — for light
  13. cue — a hint
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. mine — for digging
  16. kid — child
  17. cue — a signal
  18. can — a tin
  19. cue — for pool
  20. game — wild animals
  21. game — a match
  22. can — a tin
  23. stand — to bear
  24. mine — an explosive

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