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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 120 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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. craft — a skill
  3. mark — a trace
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. capital — money
  6. scale — size or range
  7. saw — the tool
  8. rash — hasty
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. craft — boats
  14. capital — a city
  15. scale — in music
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. key — the most important part
  19. key — for a lock
  20. mark — a grade
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. key — in music
  23. saw — the tool
  24. rash — a series

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