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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. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. land — to come down
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. can — to be able to
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. craft — boats
  8. land — a country
  9. charge — in control
  10. land — ground
  11. cue — a signal
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. staff — employees
  14. can — a tin
  15. charge — electricity
  16. staff — employees
  17. cue — a hint
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bound — tied together
  20. craft — a skill
  21. charge — a price
  22. staff — a stick
  23. can — a tin
  24. bound — certain

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