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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. pound — a weight
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. chip — to eat
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. cue — a signal
  8. chip — for betting
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. craft — a skill
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. cue — for pool
  16. cue — a hint
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. scale — in music
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. craft — boats
  24. scale — size or range

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