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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.

Make a worksheet

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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. last — to go on
  3. craft — boats
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. lean — to bend
  6. object — to protest
  7. sharp — clever
  8. last — finally
  9. scale — in music
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. object — an aim
  12. craft — a skill
  13. lean — thin
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. scale — size or range
  16. last — final
  17. object — a thing
  18. lean — to rest against

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