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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 116 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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. club — a group
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — a stick
  5. craft — a skill
  6. mug — to rob
  7. cue — a hint
  8. club — for golf
  9. spell — magic
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. mug — a face
  13. net — for catching
  14. cue — for pool
  15. mug — a cup
  16. net — in sport
  17. chair — a leader
  18. club — for dancing
  19. spell — a short time
  20. spell — letters
  21. net — after costs
  22. staff — employees
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. craft — boats

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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