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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 120 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: capital · ball · firm · cue · craft · mine · rash · mug

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. ball — a great time
  3. cue — a hint
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. firm — steady
  7. mine — for digging
  8. rash — a series
  9. mug — a cup
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. mug — to rob
  12. mug — a face
  13. capital — money
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. cue — for pool
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. ball — a dance
  18. firm — decided
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. cue — a signal
  21. craft — boats
  22. rash — hasty
  23. capital — a city
  24. firm — a company

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