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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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. craft — boats
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. stand — to bear
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. wind — moving air
  13. suit — to fit
  14. drill — army training
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. drill — the tool
  19. wind — moving air
  20. drill — a practice
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — in cards
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. scale — size or range

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