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

Word bank: tear · suit · craft · cue · ball · kick · jam · chip

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. ball — a great time
  3. kick — in football
  4. cue — for pool
  5. chip — to eat
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — in cards
  8. cue — a signal
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. tear — from crying
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. suit — to fit
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. ball — a dance
  16. tear — from crying
  17. chip — for betting
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. tear — to rip
  23. cue — a hint
  24. craft — boats

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