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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. swing — music
  4. craft — a skill
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. stock — shares
  7. swing — in golf
  8. scale — size or range
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. drill — the tool
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. drill — a practice
  17. craft — boats
  18. drill — army training
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. stock — goods
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. swing — to play on
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. scale — in music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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