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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. bore — to tire
  3. swing — to play on
  4. craft — boats
  5. swing — in golf
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. rock — music
  8. mark — a trace
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rest — what's left
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bore — to drill
  17. scale — size or range
  18. mark — a grade
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. swing — music
  23. rest — a break
  24. craft — a skill

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