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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: wound · suit · net · craft · jam · sharp · cue · game

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. net — for catching
  3. wound — an injury
  4. cue — a signal
  5. suit — clothes
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cue — a hint
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. net — after costs
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. suit — to fit
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. suit — in cards
  16. craft — boats
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. game — wild animals
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. craft — a skill
  22. sharp — clever
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. game — a match

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