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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 120 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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. chair — a leader
  7. deal — to handle
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. mine — for digging
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. craft — a skill
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. vault — a safe
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. scale — in music
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. craft — boats
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. scale — size or range
  24. kick — in football

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