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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. hand — in cards
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. craft — a skill
  6. plane — a tool
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. hand — help
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. wind — moving air
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. wind — moving air
  17. lie — to recline
  18. craft — boats
  19. cue — a hint
  20. cue — a signal
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. ball — a great time
  24. ball — a dance

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