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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 116 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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. scale — size or range
  5. rock — a stone
  6. fall — the season
  7. net — after costs
  8. craft — a skill
  9. fall — to drop
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. rock — music
  12. craft — boats
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. net — for catching
  16. net — in sport
  17. fall — to drop
  18. scale — for weighing

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