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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. toast — bread
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. season — of the year
  8. root — of a word
  9. season — in sport
  10. root — of a plant
  11. craft — boats
  12. track — a song
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. wake — a trail
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. scale — in music
  18. track — to keep track
  19. craft — a skill
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. root — the cause
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. track — a path

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