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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: ball · cap · scale · season · chest · nail · craft · pound

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. scale — size or range
  3. cap — a hat
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. pound — a weight
  6. craft — a skill
  7. season — in sport
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. ball — a dance
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. craft — boats
  12. chest — a box
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. scale — in music
  16. chest — of your body
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. chest — of your body
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. season — of the year
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. cap — a lid
  24. ball — a great time

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