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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. staff — a stick
  4. staff — employees
  5. foot — a measure
  6. land — a country
  7. firm — decided
  8. firm — steady
  9. track — to keep track
  10. track — a path
  11. staff — employees
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. scale — in music
  14. land — ground
  15. cap — a hat
  16. craft — a skill
  17. cap — a lid
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. cap — of ice
  20. land — to come down
  21. craft — boats
  22. scale — size or range
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. firm — a company

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