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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. craft — boats
  6. current — happening now
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. root — of a plant
  9. kick — in football
  10. scale — in music
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. craft — a skill
  13. current — of water
  14. perch — the fish
  15. root — the cause
  16. key — for a lock
  17. current — electric
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. root — of a word
  20. key — in music
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. key — the most important part
  24. craft — a handicraft

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