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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: fine · last · cue · lean · squash · bay · craft · march

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. squash — to crush
  3. squash — the sport
  4. last — finally
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. fine — all right
  7. craft — a skill
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. last — to go on
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. cue — a hint
  13. fine — high quality
  14. march — the month
  15. lean — to bend
  16. last — final
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. cue — a signal
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. lean — thin
  21. march — music
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. craft — boats
  24. march — the month

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