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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. face — part of the head
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. craft — a skill
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. scale — size or range
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. craft — boats
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. face — to point toward
  17. toast — bread
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. face — to confront
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. calf — a young animal

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