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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  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. suit — to fit
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. chip — to eat
  4. scale — size or range
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rock — music
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. wind — moving air
  9. row — a line
  10. craft — a skill
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. scale — in music
  13. wind — moving air
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. chip — for betting
  19. row — to paddle
  20. suit — clothes
  21. toast — bread
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. suit — in cards
  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