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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. staff — a stick
  3. scale — size or range
  4. staff — employees
  5. staff — employees
  6. fine — all right
  7. mark — a grade
  8. craft — boats
  9. game — wild animals
  10. cap — a lid
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. cap — a hat
  15. mark — a trace
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. fine — high quality
  18. lie — to recline
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. cap — of ice
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. game — a match
  24. craft — a skill

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