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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. spell — a short time
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. scale — in music
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — the season
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. spell — magic
  12. craft — a skill
  13. pound — a weight
  14. scale — size or range
  15. spell — letters
  16. capital — money
  17. capital — a city
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. toast — bread
  21. craft — boats
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. fall — to drop

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