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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. present — the time now
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. spell — letters
  6. craft — a skill
  7. key — the most important part
  8. chip — for betting
  9. scale — size or range
  10. key — in music
  11. spell — a short time
  12. craft — boats
  13. spring — of water
  14. spring — the season
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. deal — to handle
  17. chip — to eat
  18. present — there
  19. present — a gift
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. scale — in music
  23. spell — magic
  24. key — for a lock

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