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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 124 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. cue — a hint
  4. craft — a skill
  5. capital — money
  6. cue — a signal
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. cue — for pool
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mug — to rob
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — to handle
  15. saw — the tool
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. craft — boats
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. foot — a measure
  22. saw — the tool
  23. capital — a city
  24. mug — a face

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