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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: mate · craft · cue · root · rash · pitcher · net · lie

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. root — the cause
  3. net — for catching
  4. net — after costs
  5. mate — a partner
  6. rash — hasty
  7. mate — to breed
  8. craft — a skill
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. root — of a plant
  12. root — of a word
  13. mate — a friend
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. net — in sport
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rash — a series
  20. cue — for pool
  21. lie — to recline
  22. cue — a hint
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. craft — boats

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