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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. bound — certain
  3. staff — employees
  4. cue — a hint
  5. bound — obliged
  6. deal — to handle
  7. cue — for pool
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. wind — moving air
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. wind — moving air
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. bound — tied together
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. cue — a signal
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. rash — a series
  18. craft — a skill
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. rash — hasty
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — a stick
  24. rash — on the skin

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