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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. craft — a skill
  3. key — in music
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. ball — a dance
  6. pit — in a race
  7. track — a path
  8. key — the most important part
  9. ball — a great time
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. face — to confront
  12. key — for a lock
  13. scale — size or range
  14. pit — a hole
  15. craft — boats
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. track — a song
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. scale — in music
  20. track — to keep track
  21. face — part of the head
  22. face — to point toward
  23. calf — a young animal
  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