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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. net — after costs
  4. drill — the tool
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. fine — high quality
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. bulb — for light
  10. fine — all right
  11. net — in sport
  12. cue — for pool
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. craft — a skill
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. craft — boats
  17. drill — a practice
  18. drill — army training
  19. cue — a hint
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. net — for catching
  24. bowl — a dish

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