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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. bear — the animal
  3. net — in sport
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. craft — a skill
  6. wound — an injury
  7. ball — a great time
  8. fine — high quality
  9. cue — a signal
  10. cue — for pool
  11. scale — in music
  12. net — after costs
  13. craft — boats
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. net — for catching
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. ball — a dance
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. wound — an injury
  22. bear — the animal
  23. fine — all right
  24. cue — a hint

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