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

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. scale — size or range
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rock — music
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. rock — a stone
  8. sharp — clever
  9. stand — to bear
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. craft — a skill
  13. scale — in music
  14. fine — high quality
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. fine — all right
  18. craft — boats

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