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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: wind · craft · cue · pop · bowl · hide · bay · tube

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. craft — a skill
  6. cue — a hint
  7. wind — moving air
  8. tube — the underground
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. pop — to visit
  11. craft — boats
  12. wind — moving air
  13. tube — a container
  14. pop — soda
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. pop — music
  20. cue — a signal
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. cue — for pool
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. tube — in a tire

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