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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: pass · stick · cue · dip · craft · snap · race · wave

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. race — the arms race
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. craft — a skill
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. cue — a signal
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. race — humankind
  15. snap — to click
  16. craft — boats
  17. race — a contest
  18. dip — to sink
  19. pass — a permit
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. cue — for pool
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. pass — to spend time

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