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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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 skill
  3. land — a country
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. land — to come down
  6. squash — to crush
  7. rush — hurry
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. pop — to visit
  10. pop — soda
  11. mark — a grade
  12. craft — boats
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. scale — in music
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. mark — a trace
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. pop — music
  21. land — ground
  22. squash — the sport
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. safe — a strongbox

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