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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.

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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. 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. racket — for tennis
  2. scale — in music
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. scale — size or range
  5. rush — hurry
  6. key — in music
  7. charge — in control
  8. charge — a price
  9. pop — music
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. pop — soda
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. root — of a word
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. charge — electricity
  16. craft — a skill
  17. key — the most important part
  18. pop — to visit
  19. root — of a plant
  20. key — for a lock
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. root — the cause
  24. 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