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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. dip — to sink
  7. cell — a phone
  8. craft — a skill
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. scale — in music
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. track — a path
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. rush — hurry
  18. track — to keep track
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. craft — boats
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. scale — size or range
  24. track — a song

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