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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. craft — boats
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. face — to confront
  5. face — to point toward
  6. scale — in music
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. dip — to sink
  11. face — part of the head
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a dance
  14. craft — a skill
  15. bore — to tire
  16. fine — all right
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. scale — size or range
  20. bore — to drill
  21. ball — a great time
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. fan — a supporter

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