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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 120 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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — boats
  3. scale — in music
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. cue — for pool
  7. rock — music
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. present — there
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. present — a gift
  13. wind — moving air
  14. cue — a signal
  15. wind — moving air
  16. present — the time now
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. craft — a skill
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. cue — a hint
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. rock — a stone
  23. scale — size or range
  24. racket — for tennis

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