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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.

Make a worksheet

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
YesNo
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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: fan · craft · hand · scale · chair · root · ball · bay

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. hand — in cards
  6. scale — in music
  7. craft — a skill
  8. root — the cause
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. ball — a dance
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. root — of a word
  17. craft — boats
  18. chair — a leader
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. root — of a plant
  21. hand — help
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. scale — size or range

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