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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. game — wild animals
  3. firm — a company
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. game — a match
  6. degree — from a university
  7. scale — in music
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. firm — decided
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. craft — a skill
  12. deal — to handle
  13. scale — size or range
  14. stand — to bear
  15. degree — an amount
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. firm — steady
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. craft — boats
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. degree — temperature

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