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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. track — to keep track
  3. bank — for money
  4. present — the time now
  5. bank — of a river
  6. track — a path
  7. bank — for money
  8. wound — an injury
  9. craft — boats
  10. cue — for pool
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. cue — a hint
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. wound — an injury
  17. present — a gift
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. present — there
  20. track — a song
  21. chair — a leader
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. cue — a signal

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