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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: tear · bay · craft · game · cue · content · fine · mark

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. tear — to rip
  4. cue — a hint
  5. game — wild animals
  6. tear — from crying
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. cue — for pool
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. content — the amount
  11. mark — a trace
  12. fine — all right
  13. game — a match
  14. cue — a signal
  15. craft — boats
  16. mark — a grade
  17. fine — high quality
  18. craft — a skill
  19. content — happy
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. tear — from crying
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. game — a kind of play

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