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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. bound — obliged
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bound — certain
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cold — an illness
  8. capital — a city
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. craft — boats
  15. capital — money
  16. dip — to sink
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. kick — in football
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. cold — not warm
  21. bound — tied together
  22. cue — a hint
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. craft — a skill

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