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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. pit — in a race
  3. scale — size or range
  4. ball — a great time
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. craft — boats
  10. wax — to grow
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. scale — in music
  13. fine — high quality
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rock — music
  16. ball — a dance
  17. fine — all right
  18. rush — hurry
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. pit — a hole
  21. craft — a skill
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. rock — a stone

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