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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  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. fine — a penalty
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. craft — boats
  4. present — the time now
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. club — for dancing
  7. root — the cause
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. fine — high quality
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. lean — thin
  13. root — of a plant
  14. club — for golf
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. root — of a word
  17. club — a group
  18. scale — size or range
  19. lean — to bend
  20. present — a gift
  21. fine — all right
  22. scale — in music
  23. present — there
  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