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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. row — a line
  4. craft — a skill
  5. craft — boats
  6. stock — goods
  7. fine — all right
  8. mug — to rob
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. row — to paddle
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. stock — shares
  14. vault — a safe
  15. mug — a cup
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. scale — in music
  20. mug — a face
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. chip — to eat
  23. chip — for betting
  24. fine — high quality

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