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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. fall — the season
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. plane — a tool
  5. kid — to tease
  6. fall — to drop
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. scale — size or range
  9. key — in music
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. stand — to bear
  12. kid — child
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. fall — to drop
  15. craft — a skill
  16. key — the most important part
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. key — for a lock
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. scale — in music
  23. craft — boats
  24. cabinet — ministers

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