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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 116 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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. season — of the year
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. stand — to bear
  6. scale — in music
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. craft — boats
  9. season — in sport
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. face — to confront
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. deal — to handle
  16. face — to point toward
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. club — for dancing
  19. scale — size or range
  20. face — part of the head
  21. snap — to click
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. craft — a skill
  24. club — for golf

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