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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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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: fall · cue · suit · pop · race · bear · kid · craft

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. kid — to tease
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. bear — the animal
  7. cue — a signal
  8. suit — to fit
  9. cue — for pool
  10. craft — boats
  11. suit — clothes
  12. kid — child
  13. bear — the animal
  14. race — a contest
  15. suit — in cards
  16. fall — the season
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. pop — music
  19. cue — a hint
  20. pop — to visit
  21. race — humankind
  22. fall — to drop
  23. race — the arms race
  24. craft — a skill

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