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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. craft — a skill
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. scale — size or range
  7. key — the most important part
  8. firm — decided
  9. craft — boats
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. bank — for money
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. bank — of a river
  14. root — of a plant
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. key — in music
  17. root — of a word
  18. firm — steady
  19. root — the cause
  20. scale — in music
  21. key — for a lock
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bank — for money

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