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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. object — an aim
  3. cold — an illness
  4. can — a tin
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. object — to protest
  7. cold — not warm
  8. object — a thing
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. cap — a lid
  11. deal — to handle
  12. cap — of ice
  13. cue — a hint
  14. craft — a skill
  15. rush — hurry
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. craft — boats
  18. can — to be able to
  19. can — a tin
  20. cue — a signal
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. cap — a hat
  24. deal — a big deal

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