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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. craft — a skill
  3. cell — in biology
  4. scale — size or range
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. craft — boats
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. firm — a company
  10. suit — to fit
  11. squash — the sport
  12. cell — a phone
  13. squash — to crush
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. firm — steady
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. suit — clothes
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. firm — decided
  23. suit — in cards
  24. bat — the animal

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