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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. scale — size or range
  4. fork — in a road
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. scale — in music
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. key — for a lock
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. hand — in cards
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. key — the most important part
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. craft — boats
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. hand — help
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. key — in music

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