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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. craft — a skill
  3. net — for catching
  4. suit — in cards
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. suit — to fit
  7. scale — in music
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. root — the cause
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. craft — boats
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. net — after costs
  14. suit — clothes
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. root — of a plant
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. root — of a word
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. scale — size or range
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. craft — a handicraft

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