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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. scale — in music
  5. scale — size or range
  6. fork — in a road
  7. charge — electricity
  8. craft — boats
  9. charge — a price
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. foot — a measure
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. craft — a skill
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. race — a contest
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. charge — in control
  19. bat — the animal
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. race — humankind
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. stem — to come from
  24. race — the arms race

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