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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. pit — in a race
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. cue — a hint
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. scale — size or range
  9. vault — a safe
  10. root — the cause
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. chair — a leader
  13. root — of a word
  14. perch — the fish
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. cue — for pool
  17. scale — in music
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. craft — boats
  21. cue — a signal
  22. pit — a hole
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. root — of a plant

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