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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. perch — the fish
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. craft — a skill
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. craft — boats
  15. bear — the animal
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bear — the animal

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