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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 120 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: season · club · cold · can · craft · scale · bay · mark

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. scale — in music
  3. club — for dancing
  4. can — a tin
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. season — in sport
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. mark — a trace
  9. craft — a skill
  10. mark — a grade
  11. scale — size or range
  12. cold — an illness
  13. can — a tin
  14. cold — not warm
  15. club — for golf
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. season — of the year
  19. club — a group
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. craft — boats
  23. can — to be able to
  24. season — to add flavour

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