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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: bay · wave · craft · cue · scale · content · dip · hand

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. hand — help
  5. hand — in cards
  6. dip — to sink
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. cue — for pool
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. scale — size or range
  11. cue — a hint
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. craft — a skill
  15. scale — in music
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. cue — a signal
  19. craft — boats
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. content — the amount
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. content — happy
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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