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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 124 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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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. racket — a loud noise
  4. prune — to trim
  5. craft — boats
  6. scale — in music
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. craft — a skill
  9. lean — thin
  10. bass — the fish
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. bass — low music
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. prune — to trim
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. sharp — clever
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. lean — to bend
  24. racket — for tennis

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