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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. craft — boats
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. wake — a trail
  5. saw — the tool
  6. cue — for pool
  7. root — the cause
  8. cue — a hint
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. cell — a phone
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. charge — in control
  13. root — of a word
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. root — of a plant
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. craft — a skill
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. cue — a signal
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. charge — electricity
  24. charge — a price

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