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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. prune — to trim
  3. firm — a company
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. firm — decided
  9. craft — a skill
  10. bound — obliged
  11. firm — steady
  12. chip — to eat
  13. rush — hurry
  14. bound — certain
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bound — tied together
  20. chip — for betting
  21. craft — boats
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. scale — size or range

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