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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 120 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: pit · cue · ruler · dip · hide · ball · craft · pitcher

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. craft — a skill
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. cue — for pool
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cue — a signal
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. craft — boats
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. dip — to sink
  24. hide — to keep secret

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