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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: game · craft · jam · suit · object · stick · cue · mate

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. cue — a signal
  3. object — a thing
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. suit — to fit
  6. object — an aim
  7. cue — a hint
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mate — a friend
  10. mate — a partner
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. suit — in cards
  14. object — to protest
  15. game — wild animals
  16. cue — for pool
  17. craft — boats
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. mate — to breed
  22. craft — a skill
  23. suit — clothes
  24. game — a match

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