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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. key — in music
  3. mark — a trace
  4. hand — in cards
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. craft — boats
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. hand — help
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. key — the most important part
  14. mark — a grade
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. scale — size or range
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. bark — to shout
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. craft — a skill
  22. scale — in music
  23. key — for a lock
  24. craft — a handicraft

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