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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: march · net · fan · leaves · craft · bore · scale · land

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. land — a country
  5. bore — to tire
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. bore — to drill
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. land — to come down
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. craft — boats
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. march — the month
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. net — after costs
  17. craft — a skill
  18. scale — size or range
  19. march — the month
  20. net — for catching
  21. march — music
  22. land — ground
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. net — in sport

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