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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. date — the fruit
  3. pop — to visit
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. craft — a skill
  6. scale — size or range
  7. pop — music
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. scale — in music
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. ball — a great time
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. vault — a safe
  19. craft — boats
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. ball — a dance
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. pop — soda

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