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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. wake — a trail
  4. cue — a signal
  5. key — in music
  6. cue — a hint
  7. key — the most important part
  8. craft — boats
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. race — a contest
  11. race — humankind
  12. bark — to shout
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. key — for a lock
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. pound — a weight
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. race — the arms race
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. cue — for pool
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. hide — animal skin

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