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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. cell — in biology
  7. craft — boats
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. court — of law
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. craft — a skill
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. scale — in music
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. cell — a phone
  17. roll — a list
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. court — for sport
  23. court — of a king
  24. scale — size or range

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