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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 116 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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. key — for a lock
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. chip — to eat
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. deal — to handle
  7. chip — for betting
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. craft — a skill
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. key — in music
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bear — the animal
  15. scale — in music
  16. wound — an injury
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bear — the animal
  19. ball — a dance
  20. key — the most important part
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. ball — a great time
  24. scale — size or range

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