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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. mine — for digging
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. tube — the underground
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. scale — in music
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. stand — to bear
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. craft — a skill
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. key — the most important part
  14. tube — a container
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. key — for a lock
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. scale — size or range
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. key — in music
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. craft — boats

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