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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. craft — boats
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. net — for catching
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. squash — the sport
  9. bank — for money
  10. net — after costs
  11. sharp — clever
  12. bank — of a river
  13. cue — a signal
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. cue — a hint
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. craft — a skill
  18. squash — to crush
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. net — in sport
  21. foot — a measure
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. cue — for pool
  24. bowl — a dish

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