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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. squash — the sport
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. craft — a skill
  8. capital — money
  9. root — of a word
  10. craft — boats
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. root — the cause
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. capital — a city
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. scale — in music
  19. squash — to crush
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. root — of a plant
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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