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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. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. game — a match
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. scale — in music
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. object — to protest
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. game — wild animals
  9. craft — a skill
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. object — a thing
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. plane — a tool
  17. object — an aim
  18. ball — a great time
  19. stem — to come from
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. scale — size or range
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. ball — a dance
  24. craft — boats

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