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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. track — a path
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. craft — boats
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. race — humankind
  12. craft — a skill
  13. track — to keep track
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. track — a song
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — for light
  18. scale — in music
  19. race — a contest
  20. scale — size or range
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. race — the arms race
  24. bowl — a football final

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