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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 116 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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. rest — a break
  5. scale — in music
  6. craft — a skill
  7. net — for catching
  8. present — the time now
  9. craft — boats
  10. fine — high quality
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. net — after costs
  13. rest — what's left
  14. cell — in biology
  15. present — a gift
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. scale — size or range
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. fine — all right
  21. present — there
  22. rest — what's left
  23. cell — a phone
  24. net — in sport

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