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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. saw — the tool
  5. cue — for pool
  6. cue — a signal
  7. pit — in a race
  8. craft — a skill
  9. lean — to bend
  10. saw — the tool
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. pit — a hole
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. band — a music group
  15. pop — soda
  16. root — of a word
  17. pop — music
  18. root — the cause
  19. root — of a plant
  20. pop — to visit
  21. lean — thin
  22. craft — boats
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. band — a ring

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