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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. craft — boats
  3. cap — a hat
  4. firm — steady
  5. craft — a skill
  6. pop — to visit
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. scale — in music
  9. firm — decided
  10. pop — soda
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. cap — of ice
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. scale — size or range
  18. cap — a lid
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. roll — a list
  21. roll — a cake
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. firm — a company
  24. pop — 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