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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bear — the animal
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. craft — boats
  11. mate — to breed
  12. ball — a great time
  13. pop — to visit
  14. bear — the animal
  15. mate — a partner
  16. scale — in music
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. mate — a friend
  19. pop — soda
  20. ball — a dance
  21. craft — a skill
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. pop — music
  24. deal — to handle

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