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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. craft — boats
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. mug — a face
  7. mug — to rob
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. band — a ring
  10. band — a music group
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. mug — a cup
  15. season — in sport
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. scale — in music
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. perch — the fish
  22. craft — a skill
  23. season — of the year
  24. racket — a loud noise

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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