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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
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: tube · craft · season · rash · ball · root · sharp · scale

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. scale — in music
  3. root — of a word
  4. rash — hasty
  5. root — the cause
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. ball — a dance
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. craft — boats
  10. rash — a series
  11. craft — a skill
  12. scale — size or range
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. tube — a container
  16. ball — a great time
  17. root — of a plant
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. season — in sport
  20. sharp — clever
  21. season — of the year
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. tube — the underground

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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