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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. scale — in music
  3. march — music
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. march — the month
  6. bear — the animal
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bear — the animal
  9. rule — a law
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. craft — a skill
  13. craft — boats
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. prune — to trim
  16. scale — size or range
  17. march — the month
  18. rule — government

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