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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. cap — of ice
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. cap — a hat
  11. scale — size or range
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. date — the fruit
  15. cap — a lid
  16. craft — boats
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. scale — in music

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