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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: hide · date · cue · craft · mine · scale · bark · charge

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. mine — for digging
  3. date — the fruit
  4. cue — for pool
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. charge — a price
  8. charge — electricity
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bark — to shout
  11. scale — in music
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. charge — in control
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. craft — boats
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. craft — a skill
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. scale — size or range
  23. cue — a signal
  24. date — on the calendar

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