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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. craft — boats
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pit — in a race
  5. key — for a lock
  6. scale — in music
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. charge — a price
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. key — the most important part
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. craft — a skill
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pit — a hole
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. charge — in control
  23. key — in music
  24. charge — electricity

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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