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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  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. present — the time now
  2. present — a gift
  3. fine — all right
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. craft — a skill
  6. fine — high quality
  7. present — there
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mate — a friend
  10. mate — a partner
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. scale — in music
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. scale — size or range
  16. craft — boats
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  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