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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.

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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  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. bear — to put up with
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. craft — a skill
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. perch — the fish
  7. craft — boats
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. bear — the animal
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. fork — in a road
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. wave — of the sea
  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