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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  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. roll — on a roll
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. march — the month
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. bear — the animal
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. scale — size or range
  10. roll — a cake
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. bear — the animal
  13. fine — all right
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. scale — in music
  16. march — music
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. fine — high quality
  19. roll — a list
  20. march — the month
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. craft — boats
  23. ball — a great time
  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