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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. suit — clothes
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. row — to paddle
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. row — a line
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. rush — hurry
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bat — the animal
  12. bass — low music
  13. bass — the fish
  14. cue — a signal
  15. suit — in cards
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. prune — to trim
  18. craft — boats
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. suit — to fit
  21. craft — a skill
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. cue — for pool

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