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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 116 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: stick · pitch · fan · cue · pit · snap · craft · sharp

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. cue — for pool
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. craft — a skill
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pitch — completely
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. cue — a hint
  13. snap — to click
  14. cue — a signal
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. sharp — clever
  21. pit — in a race
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. craft — boats
  24. sharp — exactly

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