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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: wave · arm · craft · squash · cue · key · tube · net

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. key — in music
  4. craft — a skill
  5. tube — the underground
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. key — for a lock
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. craft — boats
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. tube — a container
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. squash — the sport
  18. key — the most important part
  19. squash — to crush
  20. cue — a signal
  21. net — for catching
  22. cue — for pool
  23. net — after costs
  24. net — in 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