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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: firm · cue · row · dip · fork · hide · key · craft

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. key — the most important part
  3. dip — to sink
  4. cue — for pool
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. cue — a signal
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. key — in music
  10. firm — steady
  11. fork — in a road
  12. craft — a skill
  13. row — to paddle
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. firm — decided
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. cue — a hint
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. row — a line
  22. key — for a lock
  23. firm — a company
  24. fork — to eat with

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