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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. scale — size or range
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. mug — a face
  5. craft — a skill
  6. branch — a division
  7. bark — to shout
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. craft — boats
  12. mug — a cup
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. squash — the sport
  15. court — for sport
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. squash — to crush
  18. court — of a king
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. court — of law
  21. mug — to rob
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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