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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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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. scale — in music
  7. mate — a friend
  8. scale — size or range
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. craft — a skill
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. mate — to breed
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. prune — to trim
  18. mate — a partner
  19. craft — boats
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. perch — the fish
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. prune — to trim
  24. perch — for a bird

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