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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. scale — in music
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. pound — a weight
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. staff — employees
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bore — to tire
  10. spring — a coil
  11. staff — a stick
  12. scale — size or range
  13. craft — a skill
  14. staff — employees
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. craft — boats
  18. spring — the season
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. toast — bread
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. bore — gave birth

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