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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 120 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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  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. snap — to snap out of it
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. cue — a signal
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. mate — to breed
  8. bark — to shout
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. craft — boats
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. mate — a partner
  15. cue — for pool
  16. stock — shares
  17. craft — a skill
  18. stock — goods
  19. kid — to tease
  20. snap — to click
  21. mate — a friend
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. kid — child
  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