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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 120 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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. object — to protest
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. game — wild animals
  8. cue — for pool
  9. craft — a skill
  10. object — a thing
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. pitch — completely
  14. object — an aim
  15. mark — a grade
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. game — a match
  18. cue — a signal
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. mark — a trace
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. cue — a hint
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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