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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 116 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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Word bank
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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. spell — a short time
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. craft — a skill
  6. face — to point toward
  7. staff — a stick
  8. degree — temperature
  9. cue — a signal
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. craft — boats
  12. degree — an amount
  13. face — part of the head
  14. cue — for pool
  15. staff — employees
  16. degree — from a university
  17. spell — letters
  18. face — to confront
  19. staff — employees
  20. scale — size or range
  21. spell — magic
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. cue — a hint
  24. racket — a loud noise

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