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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. object — to protest
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. club — for dancing
  6. game — wild animals
  7. ball — a great time
  8. chest — of your body
  9. game — a match
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. chest — a box
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. craft — a skill
  14. scale — size or range
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. ball — a dance
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. chest — of your body
  19. scale — in music
  20. craft — boats
  21. object — an aim
  22. club — a group
  23. club — for golf
  24. object — a thing

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