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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 116 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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — size or range
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. cap — of ice
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. scale — in music
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. cap — a hat
  12. clip — for paper
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — boats
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. clip — a video
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. clip — to cut
  24. cap — a lid

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