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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. court — for sport
  6. court — of law
  7. scale — size or range
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. band — a ring
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. season — of the year
  12. scale — in music
  13. plane — a tool
  14. chip — for betting
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. court — of a king
  18. craft — boats
  19. chip — to eat
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. craft — a skill
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. season — in sport

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