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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: bat · cue · craft · toast · object · court · rash · tube

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. craft — boats
  3. tube — a container
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. rash — a series
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. court — of law
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. object — to protest
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. object — a thing
  13. cue — a signal
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. bat — the animal
  16. tube — the underground
  17. object — an aim
  18. craft — a skill
  19. toast — bread
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. court — of a king
  23. cue — a hint
  24. court — for sport

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