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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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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: jam · craft · ball · roll · cap · leaves · cue · kick

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. ball — a great time
  3. craft — a skill
  4. craft — boats
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. cap — a hat
  9. cue — a hint
  10. kick — in football
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. roll — a list
  15. ball — a dance
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cap — a lid
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. cue — a signal
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. roll — a cake
  24. roll — on a roll

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