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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. craft — a skill
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. craft — boats
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. vault — a safe
  9. scale — in music
  10. branch — a division
  11. cap — of ice
  12. staff — employees
  13. firm — steady
  14. cap — a lid
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. scale — size or range
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. cap — a hat
  20. staff — a stick
  21. firm — decided
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. staff — employees
  24. firm — a company

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