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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. game — wild animals
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. ground — the earth
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. cue — a signal
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. ground — a position
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. ground — crushed
  15. spring — a coil
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. spring — the season
  18. craft — boats
  19. spring — of water
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. game — a match
  23. craft — a skill
  24. cue — a hint

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