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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. land — a country
  4. land — ground
  5. mark — a grade
  6. rush — hurry
  7. scale — in music
  8. bear — the animal
  9. tube — a container
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. land — to come down
  12. mark — a trace
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. tube — the underground
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bear — the animal
  23. craft — boats
  24. lash — to lash out

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