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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. last — finally
  7. wound — an injury
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. last — to go on
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. stock — goods
  13. scale — in music
  14. stock — shares
  15. toast — bread
  16. wound — an injury
  17. last — final
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. rule — government
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. craft — boats
  22. scale — size or range
  23. rule — a law
  24. stock — a soup base

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