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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. object — an aim
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. mate — a partner
  6. wake — a trail
  7. craft — a skill
  8. mate — to breed
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. face — to confront
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. object — a thing
  14. scale — size or range
  15. fork — in a road
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. craft — boats
  20. face — part of the head
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. face — to point toward
  23. object — to protest
  24. mate — a friend

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