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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. craft — a skill
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. stock — goods
  7. cue — a signal
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. ground — the earth
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. tear — from crying
  12. craft — boats
  13. tear — to rip
  14. cue — a hint
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. stock — shares
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. ground — crushed
  19. tear — from crying
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. rule — government
  22. rule — a law
  23. ground — a position
  24. calf — of the leg

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