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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — music
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. ball — a dance
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. scale — size or range
  8. craft — boats
  9. chip — for betting
  10. craft — a skill
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. capital — a city
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. capital — money
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. ball — a great time
  21. chip — to eat
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. scale — in music
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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