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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. scale — in music
  3. craft — boats
  4. race — humankind
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bulb — for light
  8. rest — what's left
  9. scale — size or range
  10. saw — the tool
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. rest — a break
  14. present — there
  15. bulb — for light
  16. rest — what's left
  17. race — the arms race
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. present — a gift
  20. race — a contest
  21. present — the time now
  22. foot — a measure
  23. craft — a skill
  24. foot — the bottom

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