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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. dip — to sink
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. craft — a skill
  5. fine — all right
  6. can — to be able to
  7. cue — a signal
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. can — a tin
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. squash — to crush
  12. cue — for pool
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. fine — high quality
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. cue — a hint
  17. squash — the sport
  18. can — a tin
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. pass — a permit
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. pass — to spend time

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