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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 120 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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. scale — size or range
  3. net — after costs
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. court — of a king
  9. court — of law
  10. lean — thin
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. craft — a skill
  13. court — for sport
  14. lean — to bend
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. net — for catching
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. craft — boats
  20. scale — in music
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. vault — a safe
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pass — a permit

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