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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. craft — boats
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. scale — in music
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. stand — to bear
  12. field — a subject
  13. field — farmland
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. scale — size or range
  18. can — to be able to
  19. field — for sport
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. can — a tin
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. can — a tin

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