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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. mug — a cup
  4. track — to keep track
  5. spring — a coil
  6. spring — the season
  7. cue — a signal
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. craft — a skill
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. present — the time now
  12. present — there
  13. march — the month
  14. march — the month
  15. present — a gift
  16. craft — boats
  17. track — a path
  18. cue — a hint
  19. mug — to rob
  20. spring — of water
  21. plane — a tool
  22. march — music
  23. mug — a face
  24. track — a song

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